Better employment, education for plantation community - Alok Prasad

P. Krishnaswamy

India was focusing on better employment and educational opportunities, the two main areas, for ensuring the future welfare of both the plantation community and the country as a whole, said Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad last Friday at the auditorium of the Handyman Vocational Training Centre at Kotagala after ceremonially handing over 20 of the 50 buses donated by the government of India to the CWC-owned Annai Kothai Entrepreneur Company for improving transport services to the plantation students.

The function was attended by CWC leader, Minister Arumugan Thondaman, CWC President and Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam, other CWC parliamentarians, PC members, Pradeshiya Sabha members and a large gathering of the plantation people.

The Indian High Commissioner, who was accompanied by his Deputy and the Assistant Indian High Commissioner at Kandy, said that India was according its highest priority to the welfare of the plantation community, and during tenure of his office of all places he had visited Hatton and Nuwara Eliya on six occasions because of the importance India attached to them.

India and Sri Lanka have historically friendly relations and India would continue to work in close partnership and association with Sri Lanka, he added.

CWC President and Deputy Minister of Estate Infrastructure Development Muthu Sivalingam, speaking on the occasion, said that the buses donated by India would be utilized for providing better transport services to the over one million plantation workers and their children in over 400 estates and over 1000 divisions in those estates.

CWC Vice President and spokesperson R.Yogarajan said that a request for improving the transport services to the plantation people was made to India on the basis of a WB study which had noted that their links with the towns and cities would bring economic uplift while eradicating poverty.

As a first phase 20 buses out of the total 50 buses donated by India have now arrived.

The buses will be utilized for transporting students, employed youth, traders and business entrepreneurs from about 450 estates to towns so that economic benefits would accrue.