India has agreed to provide 430 electric motorbikes to fisheries officials in Sri Lanka under a grant assistance programme worth Rs. 265 million.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha and Secretary to the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Dr. B.K. Kolita Kamal Jinadasa.
The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar.
According to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, the electric motorbikes will be provided at the request of the Sri Lankan government to field officers attached to several institutions, including the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the National Aquaculture Development Authority (NAQDA) and the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).
The initiative is expected to improve the operational efficiency and mobility of fisheries officials, enabling faster responses and more regular engagement with fishing communities across the country.
The project will also support the environmental sustainability objectives of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Clean Sri Lanka programme.
The Indian High Commission said the initiative forms part of India’s ongoing development cooperation with Sri Lanka, which covers several sectors, including fisheries, housing, health, education, transport, renewable energy and agriculture.
The High Commission said its development assistance programmes extend to all 25 districts of Sri Lanka. (Newswire)