A 3-member team from the Export Import (Exim) Bank of India visited Sri Lanka from December 7-9, 2021 to review the progress of the integrated water supply projects of Polgahawela and Aluthgama, implemented operates under the buyer’s credit facilities under the national export insurance account. (BC-NEIA), noted a press release from the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

The team, which included Ms. Shilpa Waghmare, Executive Director; Ms. Mitali Pendharkar, Deputy Director General and Mr. Ranjan Roy, Director General paid a courtesy visit to India’s High Commissioner Shri Gopal Baglay on December 9, 2021 and briefed him on the progress of the projects and their visit.

Exim Bank of India has granted a purchase credit of 441.42 million USD, to support 4 (four) projects in Sri Lanka, of which 2 (two) projects have already been completed. For the 2 (two) integrated water supply projects underway in Polgahawela and Aluthgama, support of USD 91.80 million and USD 164.90 million respectively, has been provided to the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, Sri Lanka ( NWSDB). The Polgahawela project is executed by VA Tech Wabag Ltd and the Aluthgama project by Ion Exchange (India) Ltd. Both projects have reached almost 90% physical progress.

During the visit, the Exim team visited project sites in Aluthgama and Polgahawela to assess the progress of the projects and interact with the contractors. The Exim Bank team held meetings with senior officials from the External Resources Department, Sri Lanka Ministry of Finance and NWSDB in Colombo, among others, to review and discuss the way forward for the rapid completion of the 2 projects. They also discussed projects that could be taken up under the BC-NEIA program in the future.

Water supply projects in Sri Lanka are priority community-based projects. A project for the supply, construction and commissioning of a water treatment and distribution plant of 9 reservoirs in the Dambulla region has already been successfully executed by VA Tech Wabag Ltd under the credit of the buyer.

It should be noted that the BC-NEIA is a concessional loan facility granted by the India Exim Bank to sovereign governments and their designated public entities (parastatal agencies) for the execution of projects in certain sectors. Currently, 91 countries are on the positive list of the BC-NEIA program.