India to give Rs 500 crore relief to Lanka

As Sri Lanka announced the end of the war against LTTE and confirmed the death of its chief V Prabhakaran, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon are expected to visit the island nation in the next few days, along with a Rs 500-crore rehabilitation package.

Narayanan and Menon are expected to press for immediate implementation of the devolution package that would give political powers to ethnic Tamils, particularly in northern Sri Lanka, which has been freed from LTTE control after 26 years of conflict.

“A package of almost Rs 500 crore, which will be required for rehabilitation, is under preparation,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here today. He added that India would be sending senior officials and special envoys to Sri Lanka soon to discuss in detail rehabilitation of people displaced by the war. However Mukherjee did not identify the envoys but sources said Narayanan and Menon are expected to visit Sri Lanka later this week.

Mukherjee noted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already announced a Rs 100-crore relief package for Lankan Tamils, in addition to the Rs 25 crore aid given by Tamil Nadu government.

India has been asking Sri Lanka to take political steps to ensure “effective devolution of power” so that Tamils in the island nation could live with dignity.