Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the answer is as follows:

¶ 02 (a) (i) Annex 01 contains a list of 33 projects for the Eastern Province, with estimated costs.

¶ 03 Annex 01: List of 33 projects for the Eastern Province under multi-donor funding windows (summarized): - Agricultural production facilities and value addition units (various locations in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee) - Rural industries strengthening (including batik training centres, coir and food processing units) - Contract farming collectives - Agro-well rehabilitation and small irrigation - Cage fish culture in lagoons - Fisheries cooperative facilities and safety equipment - Agricultural technology park establishment - Women’s empowerment and student counselling programmes - Technical training centres - Smart classrooms in Pirivenas - Health infrastructure upgrades (wards, primary care units, ENT and mental health units) - Ayurveda rural hospital and Panchakarma hospital facilities, residential quarters, and a central Ayurveda complex - Government care centres for differently-abled children Total estimated cost: Rs. 2,371,831,000

¶ 04 (ii) According to available records, sectoral needs were considered and, after obtaining inputs from relevant stakeholders including officials at divisional levels, the projects were specifically identified and submitted by the relevant provincial institutions.

¶ 05 (iii) As per records, meetings at provincial level were conducted with the following stakeholders to identify the above projects: - 28.07.2023: Meeting chaired by the Governor of the Eastern Province with participation of: • Chief Secretary • Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning) • Secretaries of Provincial Ministries • Provincial Directors of Education, Health, Animal Production and Health, and Rural Industries • Provincial Commissioners for Probation and Child Care, and Indigenous Medicine • Director of Fisheries Unit • Directors of Planning and Deputy Directors of Planning - 16.10.2023: Sectoral meeting on Agriculture, Irrigation, Rural Industries, Animal Production and Cooperative Development, with participation of: • Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Eastern Provincial Council • Provincial Directors of Animal Production & Health; Agriculture • Deputy Directors of Agriculture (Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee) • Commissioner and Assistant Commissioners of Cooperative Development • Director (Fisheries), EPC • Development Officers of Fisheries Unit and Department of Agriculture

¶ 06 (iv) In 2023, project proposals were submitted by the Hon. Governor of the Eastern Province to the High Commission of India in Colombo with the expectation of obtaining assistance to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Eastern Province.

¶ 07 (b) Not applicable.