India, SL hold talks to expedite $15mn grant projects

India and Sri Lanka have agreed to expedite projects, including promoting Buddhist ties, under a special Indian grant of $15 million.High Commissioner Gopal Baglay and Minister of Buddhashasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayaka held talks on Tuesday to expedite jointly-identified priority projects including promotion of Buddhist ties and functioning of the Jaffna Cultural Centre (JCC), the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the special grant for the promotion of bilateral Buddhist ties at the Virtual Bilateral Summit on September 26, 2020 and the related MoU was signed in March this year, during the visit of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Colombo.Discussions were held on the installation of solar power facilities in places of worship and Pirivenas or schools where monks are trained around the country from the grant.