The World Bank has allocated US$ 65 million for the Emergency Northern Recovery Project (ENRP) to support the Government’s effort to resettle the Internally Displaced People (IDP) in their place of origin in the Northern Province and to assist them with the social, economic and livelihood development.
The World Bank will help the Government to assist over 100,000 returnees mainly from the areas of Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar as they are keen to continue their economic and social livelihood development, said Naoko Ishii, Country Director, World Bank, Sri Lanka.
The project components include emergency assistance to IDPs (US$ 6 million), work-fare (US$132 million), essential infrastructure rehabilitation and reconstruction (US$ 44 milion) and project management, monitoring and evaluation (US$ 3 million).
Nihal Fernando, Senior Rural Development Specialist of World Bank said that the project will help reconstruct village level infrastructure such as roads, drinking water, irrigation facilities and public buildings damaged during the conflict. A special programme called ‘Cash for Work’ will give an opportunity to returnees to fill the income gap between the time of return and resumption of livelihood. In addition, the project will provide assistance for returnees who wish to resume farming and fishing.
“We have designed the project to be completed in a fast track basis over a period of two years,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Amali Rajapaksa, Senior Infrastructure Specialist, World Bank, said that the Provincial Road Project will rehabilitate and upgrade 150kms of road in three provinces, namely North, East and Uva provinces.
The work will include the rehabilitation and widening of existing roads.
