India ready to give more aid: Krishna

KILINOCHCHI/JAFFNA: External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Wednesday handed over houses, medical equipment and financial assistance to Tamils in war-torn regions of Sri Lanka and promised India is committed to “do more”.In Kilinochchi, Krishna gave away surgical and intensive care equipment worth LKR 29 million to the District General Hospital. Later, he ceremonially handed over a repaired war-damaged school. Handing over the Sivapaada Kalai Aham School, Krishna said India was “committed” to assist the rehabilitation of war-displaced people and was keen to do “more”. India has so far funded repair work of 79 war-damaged schools in the Northern Province. He also inspected one of the 1,000 houses being built for the refugees. Sarath Kumar, a beneficiary, said the houses were well built, but water supply was an issue. Krishna Speaks in TamilIt was a pleasant surprise for the war-displaced Tamils at Ariyalai near Jaffna when Krishna spoke to them in Tamil. “Idhu onga veeda (Is this your house)?” he asked a beneficiary. Later speaking in  a mix of Tamil and Kannada, he said, “The last time when I came here in November 2010, I didn’t see green paddy fields. But I see them now. There is electricity... The houses will enable you all to stand on your own feet. India, being the fastest growing economy in the region, would like to share its expertise with the less fortunate. This makes India happy.”‘PM, Sonia Keen on Rehabilitation Works’Handing over 47 completed houses to beneficiaries in Ariyalai, Krishna said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were showing keen interest in projects relating to rehabilitation of Tamils in Lanka. “This shows the highest importance that India attaches to these projects,” he said. The USD 270 million project to build 49,000 houses for the war-displaced was the biggest overseas Indian development project, he said.Handing over the first installment of 10,000 bicycles to war refugees in Jaffna, he said that true ethnic reconciliation would be possible only with devolution of power with India-inspired 13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution as the basis. He also called for the implementation of the recommendations of Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.During his speech, Krishna urged the Lankan government to make Jaffna airport an international airport to improve connectivity with South Indian States. This has been a long-pending demand from India.