Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, is scheduled to begin an official visit to Sri Lanka starting from tomorrow (01) lasting three days.
During her visit, Minister Sitharaman is poised to deliver the Keynote Address as the Guest of Honour at “NAAM 200,” a significant event organized by the Government of Sri Lanka to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the arrival of India-origin Tamils (IOTs) in Sri Lanka. This event will take place on November 2nd at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo.
“NAAM 200” will see the presence of distinguished figures, including Ranil Wickremesinghe, President of Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Mr. Dinesh Gunawardena, Mr. Jeevan Thondaman, Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development. Several senior leaders from across political parties and dignitaries are expected to grace the occasion. Notably, Indian political parties and the Representative of Malaysian Tamil Congress will also be among the attendees.
In addition to this, Union Finance Minister Smt. Sitharaman will present a Keynote Address at the India Sri Lanka Business Summit, themed “Enhancing Connectivity: Partnering for Prosperity.” The summit is jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Indo-Lanka Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. This event will take place on November 2nd at Hotel Taj Samudra in Colombo.
As part of her official visit, the Union Finance Minister is scheduled for call-on meetings with the President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, Minister Sitharaman will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Solar Electrification of Religious Places in Sri Lanka, in which India will allocate INR 82.40 crores out of the Government of India’s grant assistance of INR 107.47 crores earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties.
During her visit, Smt. Sitharaman is set to inaugurate SBI Branches in Trincomalee on November 2nd and in Jaffna on November 3rd.
Her itinerary also includes visits to some of Sri Lanka’s notable landmarks, such as the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura, Thirukoneswaram Temple in Trincomalee, and Kandaswamy Temple in Nallur.
Apart from these engagements, the Union Finance Minister plans to visit the Lanka IOC Oil Tank Farms, Jaffna Cultural Centre, and Jaffna Public Library during her official visit.
