Humanitarian assistance: PM voices gratitude to people of India

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe thanked Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin, as well as the people of India, after a fresh consignment, containing food items and milk, reached Colombo after being flagged off from Chennai, on May 18.

“Sri Lanka today received Rs. 2 billion worth Humanitarian aid including milk power, rice and medicines from India. Our sincere gratitude to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Hon. MK Stalin and the People of India for the support extended. I also appreciate the assistance given by the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka and CWC leader S. Thondaman in Sri Lanka,” tweeted Wickremesinghe.

The Indian high commission to the island nation, based in Colombo, informed more consignments would be sent from India.

“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. GL Peiris in #Colombo today,” the high commissioned posted on its Twitter handle.

The latest consignment was flagged off by Tamil Nadu CM Stalin. India’s southern state and the neighbouring country are only separated by the Palk Strait.

Sri Lanka is in the middle of its worst economic crisis since 1948, when it gained freedom from British rule. New Delhi, under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, has provided assistance to overcome the shortage of food and medicines.