Many ways to help Sri Lanka

Recently, Chamal, who drives a battery-operated vehicle at the Peradeniya Botanic Garden in Kandy, told this journalist that the common man in Sri Lanka values ​​India’s support, especially as it comes at a turbulent phase in the island nation’s economic history. comes during.

In Velwaya in Uva province, a self-destructive Sinhalese farmer was busy harvesting his paddy crop grown during the Yala cultivation season (May to August). He interrupted the translator to say that he got a normal yield this time because of “the supply of chemical fertilizers from India”. In the last Maha season (September to March), there was a 50% crop loss due to the sudden decision of the Sri Lankan government to shift this small-scale farmer to organic farming.

Similarly, Nesmler, who runs a tea stall in Nuwara Eliya in the central province, said the people of Sri Lanka know that India cannot consistently provide generous aid, but still expects fresh loans from its neighbour.

A veteran government official in Colombo said “certain fringe groups” known for their anti-India rhetoric also remained silent while the rest of Sri Lankan society was “highly appreciating” India’s actions.

Greater Engagement

These accounts reveal how the people of Sri Lanka feel about India’s response to the country’s economic crisis. India has provided assistance of about $ 4 billion to its neighboring country. However, there is a strong case for greater engagement of India with Sri Lanka, which is still struggling to deal with the crisis. Such engagement need not be limited to generous loans; It may also involve sharing technical expertise or knowledge, or helping the country upgrade skills in various areas of economic activity.

According to a section of people in Sri Lanka, agriculture and allied activities are the priority areas where India can make a difference. For example, Sri Lanka imports milk powder in large quantities. On an average, Colombo imports dairy products worth $315 million annually. Even though it accounts for about 1.5% of its total imports, Sri Lanka’s self-reliance in dairy production will not only save precious foreign exchange, but will also reduce frustration among people during the peak of the crisis. India can help Sri Lanka in the development of its dairy sector. Given Sri Lanka’s natural conditions with an average annual rainfall of about 185 cm, its vast potential in dairy development remains untapped. Leaving behind the failed joint venture project with India’s National Dairy Development Board nearly 20 years ago, India and Sri Lanka must start afresh in this area.

Similarly, the poultry sector, which is also in distress, deserves special treatment as it is unable to keep pace with the rising cost of living and shortage of veterinary and veterinary medicines. Domestic production of maize, which is extensively used as a primary ingredient in domestic poultry feed, is still insufficient to meet demand. This has forced feed producers to fall back on higher cost alternatives. In this area, through its agricultural universities, India can share its knowledge on ways to increase both production and productivity. Agricultural machinery is another area where Sri Lanka needs help.

Given how the problem on the energy front turned into a major political crisis in Sri Lanka, India’s participation in energy projects would be desirable. But this can become a reality only if the Sri Lankan leadership shows the political will to work with India. Even though provisional approvals were recently issued for Adani Group’s more than $500 million wind power projects in the Northern Province, India would not want Sampur’s experience to be repeated. In 2016, a 500 MW coal-fired power project in Sampur was put on hold even after getting environmental clearance.

Despite providing employment to a large section of the population and playing a significant role in economic production, Sri Lanka’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have not achieved their potential due to various reasons, one of which is the low adoption of technology. For the 2021 annual report of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Even though India has a long way to go in digitizing the operations of its MSMEs, its programs including ‘Digital MSME’ and ‘RAMP’ (Rising and Accelerating MSME Performance) can provide lead to the MSME sector.

School education is another area where India’s presence can be felt more. India may expand its plan to set up smart classrooms and modern computer labs to cover all institutions that teach children from the hill country Tamils, the most disadvantaged section of Sri Lankan society. Indian universities may consider setting up satellite campuses in Sri Lanka. A collaborative project can be envisioned for the training of second and third rank employees of the public sector.

And on the culture front, India can arrange for more Buddhist monks to visit places of religious importance here.

Helping is also in the interest of India

The wish list may go on. There is a lot of scope for India to engage constructively with its southern neighbour, which is known to perform better than most other economies in Asia. India can ensure that the proposed development program is evenly distributed in coverage. Needless to say, the northern and eastern provinces, where Tamil and Muslim ethnic minorities reside, and which were badly hit by the civil war, deserve special attention as they contribute barely 10% to Sri Lanka’s GDP. It should be improved.

Sri Lanka’s political class and civil society, which may have closely watched the efficacy of the country’s constructive engagement with India in recent months, facilitated the success of the program rather than allowing some to distance themselves from the anti-India rhetoric. Should make group. Given the history of bilateral relations, examples like the Hambantota dispute are bound to arise. But what should not be overlooked is that a politically and economically stable Sri Lanka will also be in India’s interest.

T. Ramakrishnan visited Sri Lanka earlier this month at the invitation of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau at the Deputy High Commission of Sri Lanka, Chennai.