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India spent over USD one bn to upgrade railway sector here – Indian HC Colombo
The Indian High Commission on Sunday (07) declared that in spite of the debt repayment suspension announced by Sri Lanka in April 2022, the Modi government continued to extend assistance to the southern neighbour under various Lines of Credit (LOCs).
In September 2023, the Ministry of Transport and Highways of Sri Lanka and IRCON International signed a new Contract for design, installation, testing, and commissioning of a Signalling system for Sri Lanka Railways, from Maho to Anuradhapura, at a cost of USD 14.90 million under an Indian LOC, the HC stated.
The following is the text of a statement issued by the HC after Transport and Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardena and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha on Sunday ceremonially launched track rehabilitation work at Galgamuwa Railway Station commencing upgrading of the Railway Line including ancillary works from Maho to Anuradhapura, the second phase of a Line of Credit project for track rehabilitation from Maho- Omanthai (128Km) being undertaken by an Indian Public Sector company, IRCON, under an Indian Line of Credit (LOC) of USD 318 million.
The cost of the entire project is USD 91.27 million of which the 2nd phase of rehabilitation from Maho-Anuradhapura is scheduled to be completed in a period of six months. Hon. State Minister of Mass Media Shantha Bandara and senior officials from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Transport were also present at the event.”
The statement quoted the Minister of Transport as having thanked India for the support extended to Sri Lanka, especially in the transport sector. Appreciating the work carried out by IRCON in Sri Lanka in the past few years, he called for greater Railway cooperation between the two countries.
The High Commissioner expressed happiness that as a long-standing development partner of Sri Lanka, India had executed projects for development and rehabilitation of Sri Lanka’s Northern and Southern Railway line over the past several years, in line with the priorities and requirements of the Government of Sri Lanka. He underscored the importance of modernization of Railways in enhancing mobility of goods and services in Sri Lanka thereby boosting economic activity.
“Railways has been one of the priority sectors for Government of India’s assistance to Sri Lanka. Till date, India has executed projects of over USD 1 billion in the Railways sector under 5 Indian LOCs. India’s public sector company, IRCON, started its operations in Sri Lanka in March 2009 and has contributed towards modernization of Sri Lanka Railways by reconstructing the entire railway line network in Northern Province (253 Km) and upgradation of Southern line (115 km). It has also contributed to ensuring safety and reliability through a modern signaling & telecommunication system on 330 km stretch of Railway line.”
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
