Sri Lanka disaster: Ship carrying aid supplies from India reaches Colombo

An Indian ship carrying pressing aid provides like rice, life-saving medicines and milk powder for the individuals of crisis-hit Sri Lanka arrived in Colombo on Sunday and the consignment was handed over to the federal government within the island nation.

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay handed over to Lankan Foreign Minister G L Peiris the consignment which consists of 9,000 metric tonne (MT) of rice, 50 MT of milk powder and greater than 25 MT of medication and different medical provides.

“Sri Lanka today received Rs. 2 Billion worth Humanitarian aid including milk powder, rice and medicines from India. Our sincere gratitude to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Hon.

@mkstalin and the People of India for the support extended. I also appreciate the assistance given by the @IndiainSL and CWC Leader @S_Thondaman in Sri Lanka,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tweeted.

I additionally respect the help given by the @IndiainSL and CWC Leader @S_Thondaman in Sri Lanka. (2/2)

— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 22, 2022

This can be the primary consignment underneath a bigger USD 16 million dedication of 40,000 MT of rice, 500 MT of milk powder and medicines by Government of Tamil Nadu, an official launch mentioned.

“A message of care!!! From the people of India to the people of Sri Lanka High Commissioner handed over rice, milk powder & medicines worth more than SLR 2 billion to Hon’ble FM Prof.G.L Peiris in #Colombo today,” the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka tweeted.

“More consignments from #India to follow,” it mentioned in one other tweet.

A message of care!!! From the individuals of to the individuals of …High Commissioner handed over rice,milk powder& medicines price greater than SLR 2 billion to Hon’ble FM Prof.G.L Peiris in #Colombo right this moment.Hon’ble Minister @nimaldsilva, @VajiraAbey, @SagalaRatnayaka, @S_Thondaman pic.twitter.com/WNDoSiQPjE

— India in Sri Lanka (@IndiainSL) May 22, 2022

Speaking on the ceremony right here attended by a number of Lankan ministers, Foreign Minister Peiris mentioned “India has not sent any assistance anywhere of this scale ever before”.

“They are to assist us more for which we would be grateful,” Peiris mentioned, including that India had to date prolonged help price USD 4.5 billion.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Ok Stalin had flagged off the ship laden with aid provides, the primary to be dispatched to Sri Lanka, from Chennai on Wednesday.

READ | Rice Rs 220/kg, milk powder Rs 1900/kg: Skyrocketing charges at grocery store in crisis-hit Sri Lanka

The objects shall be distributed amongst susceptible and needy sections in varied components of Sri Lanka together with Northern, Eastern, Central and Western Provinces by Government of Sri Lanka within the coming days.

“More humanitarian consignments and other forms of assistance from India shall follow. Multi-pronged endeavour by both the Government and people of India underlines the importance attached to Sri Lanka and reflects their concerns for the well-being of its people,” mentioned the discharge.

Support prolonged to Sri Lanka ranges from financial help price round USD 3.5 billion, provide of vaccines, testing kits, near 1000 MT of liquid oxygen to fight COVID-19, fast response by Indian Navy and Coast Guard to mitigate marine disasters and so forth, it added.

Sri Lanka goes via the worst financial disaster since independence in 1948. A crippling scarcity of overseas reserves has led to lengthy queues for gas, cooking gasoline and different necessities whereas energy cuts and hovering meals costs heaped distress on the individuals.

The financial disaster has additionally triggered a political disaster in Sri Lanka and a requirement for the resignation of the highly effective Rajapaksas.

India has mentioned that as an everlasting and dependable good friend of Sri Lanka, New Delhi is totally supportive of the island nation’s democracy, stability and financial restoration.

In holding with India’s Neighbourhood First coverage, New Delhi has prolonged this yr alone help price over USD 3.5 billion to the individuals of Sri Lanka for serving to them overcome their present difficulties, the Ministry of External Affairs mentioned on May 10.

India on Saturday offered one other 40,000 metric tonnes of diesel to Sri Lanka underneath the credit score line facility to the island nation which is grappling with its worst financial disaster.

Last month, India prolonged an extra USD 500 million credit score line to assist Sri Lanka import gas because the nation has been struggling to pay for imports after its overseas change reserves plummeted sharply in current occasions, inflicting a devaluation of its foreign money and spiralling inflation.

Several personal and social organisations from India have despatched help to Sri Lanka to fulfill varied pressing necessities. This outpouring of help for Sri Lanka amongst widespread Indians is aside from the financial help by Government of India which has been to the tune of round USD 3.5 billion since January this yr. In addition, medicines, dry rations and so forth have additionally been despatched by Government of India on grant foundation, the assertion mentioned.