Project Objectives
The Project Development Objective (PDO) is "to support the Government of Sri Lanka's efforts to rapidly resettle the IDPs in the Northern Province". It will be achieved through: (A) Emergency Assistance to IDPs; (B) a Work-fare Program; (C) Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Essential Public and Economic Infrastructure; and (D) Project Management Support.
Project Description
Component A: (Emergency Assistance to IDPs) would be focused on providing assistance to resettled households to re-engage in livelihood activities such as agricultural farming and marine fishing. Specifically it will provide financing to: (i) meet costs related with mobile land task forces, surveys and studies required to rapidly restore contested property rights of the resettled people; (ii) conduct demining awareness to IDPs, project staff and contractors; (iii) clear thick vegetative growth of paddy lands to be able to resume land preparation for cultivation; and (iv) provide seeds, basic and miscellaneous agricultural and fishing implements to the people to be able to start paddy farming and marine fishing immediately after the resettlement.
Component B: (Work-fare Program) - is designed to provide labor employment to the returnees immediately after their resettlement in the form of small scale labor intensive repair and rehabilitation works of village level infrastructure and facilities. Through the program, about 45,000 IDPs, one member from each IDP household will be employed as daily wage laborers to provide a minimum of about 50 labor days of guaranteed work employment. Fulfilling a dual objective, the work-fare program will provide short-term and immediately required cash to the people; and supply the urgent labor intensive repair works that are essential to restart the social and economic activities. This component would also cover the costs of construction material and implements and administration of the work-fare program.
Component C: (Rehabilitation of Essential Public and Economic Infrastructure) - This component will provide assistance to repair, reconstruct and restore vital public and economic infrastructure and facilities damaged by the war and that are dysfunctional or partly functional at present. This would enable the resettled and conflict affected people to: reestablish inter-village connectivity; have access to schools, markets, and safe drinking water; and have access to essential public and technical services from the Government's civil administration. Specifically it will provide assistance to (i) rehabilitate damaged irrigation schemes to enable the returnee farmers to have reliable supply of irrigation water for crop production; (ii) rehabilitate rural roads; (iii) restore drinking water schemes to improve reliable and adequate supply of clean drinking water to beneficiaries; and (iv) rehabilitate and reconstruct public buildings and facilities.
Component D: (Project Management, Oversight, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Special Studies) - This component will support the Government in implementing the project, coordinating all project related activities, monitoring and evaluating project inputs, outputs and results, carrying out financial management, technical, procurement and safeguard audits. All incremental staff hired, incremental operating costs, and procurement of goods associated with the implementation of the project, such as vehicles, equipment and office facilities, would be financed under this Component.
