Colombo, Nov 2 (PTI) India has started talks with Sri Lanka for the quick implementation of a USD 15 million Indian grant for the promotion of Buddhist and Tamil cultural ties in this island nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a USD 15 million special grant for the promotion of bilateral Buddhist ties at a virtual bilateral summit on September 26, 2020, and the MoU governing it was signed on March 28, 2022, during the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar's, visit to Colombo.

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High Commissioner Gopal Baglay held two separate meetings with Vidura Wickramanayaka, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs on the implementation of the grant by Government of India for the promotion of Buddhist ties and functioning of Jaffna Cultural Centre (JCC) on Tuesday in Colombo, a press release by the Indian Commission here said on Wednesday.

The High Commissioner and Minister Wickramanayaka agreed to immediately undertake steps for the quick implementation of jointly-identified priority projects under the grant in numerous areas pertaining to Buddhism, it said.

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Specific action points regarding the installation of solar power facilities in Buddhist places of worship across Sri Lanka were identified during the meeting.

In the meeting regarding the functioning of the Tamil cultural centre, built with an Indian grant of USD 11 million, the focus was on the establishment of a framework to make the state-of-the-art facilities in the centre available for regular use by the common public.

The centre, a glowing example of the India-Sri Lanka development partnership, consists of multiple facilities such as a double-storey museum, a theatre-style auditorium with a capacity of more than 600 people, an 11-storeyed learning tower, and a public square cum amphitheater, among others, according to the release.

The High Commission said the meetings underscored the Indian government's commitment to bring about a palpable impact on the daily lives of the Sri Lankan people through the implementation of people-centric grant projects.

India has been associated with the implementation of more than 85 grant projects in Sri Lanka and the latest endeavours include the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity Project, the press release said.

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