The Indian government has handed over a host of equipment to the Siddha faculty of the Eastern University here as part of its efforts to assist Sri Lanka in promoting traditional medicine forms. Sri Lanka has a long history and tradition in practicing Ayurveda and Siddha medicine.
The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Ashok K. Kantha, who handed over the assistance here, said that the Eastern Province had been receiving support from India for many development projects. Recently, 5 units of rail compartments were gifted to the Eastern Province to improve connectivity between two main cities in the east, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. As many as 20 buses were gifted between 2008 and 2010 too. India was also providing assistance to set up vocational training centres in Batticaloa. The centres, costing US $ 3 million, will be ready this year.
An Indian NGO, SEWA, is training widows in the Eastern Province on means of livelihood. The US $ 2 million project involves sending selected widows to India and training them to various trades. They will function as master-trainers and train many more women here.
