India signs agreement to rebuild north Sri Lanka

India will help rebuild public and private infrastructure in war-ravaged Tamil-dominated northern Sri Lanka and has signed an agreement under which latest technology will be used for mass-scale construction there.     

The pact will cover construction of buildings and utilities under the massive rehabilitation and reconstruction programme in the north, a statement by the Construction and Engineering Services Ministry of Sri Lanka said today. 

The agreement between the Ministry's construction sector arm ICTAD and India's Construction Industry Development Council (a collaboration of government of India and the Indian construction industry) was signed in the presence of Construction Minister Rajitha Senaratne on Wednesday.     

The Indian Council, a New Delhi-based national institute on building and construction, will assist in the local building and construction works.     

The project will be aimed at using the latest technologies to assist in the mass-scale construction of buildings and infrastructure in the north while contributing to the national economy, the statement said.     

The Minister said the friendly cooperation extended by India in the rehabilitation programme in the north was appreciated by the government and the people of Sri Lanka.     

Most parts of northern Sri Lanka was under the control of rebel Tamil Tigers before Sri Lankan troops vanquished them in a military offensive that ended two months ago.