Kingdom of Saudi Arabia funds dam project in Sri Lanka to help farmers gain access to water
The government of Sri Lanka has recently declared open a Saudi-funded dam project to help bring famers desperately-needed water.
The Saudi media has reported that the Kalu Ganga River project includes three dams and reservoirs in central Sri Lanka to irrigate 975 hectares of farmland.
The Saudi Arabian Development Fund he reportedly contributed SR223.5 million to the project. Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Abdel Nasser Bin Hussien Al-Harthi had attended the opening along with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.
The Saudi Development Fund has contributed to the financing of 11 development projects in Sri Lanka through 14 loans with a total value of SR1.4 billion.
According to reports, the Kalu Ganga Reservoir has a capacity of 265 million cubic meters (MCM) of water and will divert 100 MCM annually to Moragahakanda Reservoir. Under this project, it is expected to develop new irrigable lands of nearly 3,000 hectares in the Kalu Ganga Basin.
OSL take:
The funding received by the Sri Lankan government by Saudi Arabia for an irrigation project in Sri Lanka to assist farmers receive water for cultivation is yet another instance of foreign assistance received by the island nation for its development agenda. Sri Lanka is currently engaged in a development drive with the assistance of many foreign donors and funding agencies. Therefore, foreign businesses could explore business opportunities in Sri Lanka and look at playing a role in these projects or even look at supplying required equipments, technology and building materials.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/16012019/Z_1 |