Colombo [Sri Lanka], November 2 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said India will soon send its teacher trainers to Sri Lanka who will work with local teachers and abreast them with the latest developments in the teaching field and enhance their teaching skills to meet the growing needs and aspirations of students from Malayaha Tamils.
"We will soon send Teacher Trainers who will work with local Teachers and abreast them with the latest developments in the teaching field and enhance their teaching skills to meet the growing needs and aspirations of students from Malayaha Tamils. It will provide a holistic developmental framework for the Malayaha Community and make an impact on their livelihood," the Union Finance Minister said.
Sitharaman made the remarks while addressing 'NAAM 200' organised by the Sri Lankan government to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of India-origin Tamils (IOTs) to Sri Lanka.
She said: "Education transforms, empowers and enhances social mobility. That's why the Government of India has given a special focus on educational support to you as part of its developmental partnership over decades. It was with this idea the Ceylon Estate Workers Education Trust (CEWET) was established way back in 1947."
She said CEWET is going strong with over 700 scholarships being awarded to students for studying in Sri Lanka and India every year. "We also offer over 200 scholarships to students of Sri Lanka for higher education in India," she said.
"Today, we are also dedicating the upgraded Thondaman Vocational Training Centre in Hatton to the Malayaha Community, which will assist in enhancing skill requirements," Sitharaman added.
The Union Finance Minister said that when Sri Lanka faced its unprecedented economic crisis last year, "we felt it was our duty to stand with our friends in Sri Lanka. We could not bear the difficulties our friends in Sri Lanka had to face. Our government and the people of India acted collectively and came to the assistance in record time."
"India rendered unprecedented financial assistance of over $4 billion for the people of Sri Lanka. We were the first bilateral creditor to convey financing assurance to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which paved the way for others to provide similar assurances that formalised the IMF program for Sri Lanka."
"India also continues to work closely with the Government of Sri Lanka on debt restructuring discussions as well as on its path to economic recovery," she said.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday embarked on a three-day visit to Sri Lanka.
Sitharaman marked her official visit to Sri Lanka by inaugurating the State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Trincomalee.
Ministry of Finance posted on X, "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman inaugurated the State Bank of India @TheOfficialSBI Branch in Trincomalee, today, during her official visit to Sri Lanka. H.E. Mr. @S_Thondaman, Governor of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka; Shri Gopal Baglay, India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and Chairman @TheOfficialSBI Shri Dinesh Khara were also present at the inauguration".
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including H.E. S Thondaman, the Governor of the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka, Gopal Baglay, India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and Chairman of SBI, Dinesh Khara.
During the inaugural ceremony, Sitharaman acknowledged the remarkable legacy of the State Bank of India, which has been serving Sri Lanka for 159 years.
She commended SBI's dedication to expanding its operations both domestically and internationally.
The presence of SBI in Sri Lanka has played a crucial role, particularly during the recent Sri Lankan economic crisis.
It facilitated the smooth extension of a Line of Credit worth USD 1 billion from the Government of India to Sri Lanka, further strengthening the bilateral relationship.
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