COLOMBO, Oct. 12 -- Stage 2 of the Indian Housing Project (IHP) Phase IV was launched on Sunday (12) with a ceremony held at the Bandarwela Municipal Council attended by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, among a host of other dignitaries.

The IHP is one of India's largest grant-funded development initiatives abroad, with a commitment to building 60,000 houses for Sri Lankan beneficiaries at a cost of over INR 18 billion. Under Phases I and II, 46,000 houses were constructed or renovated in the Northern and Eastern provinces. Phase III, which includes 4,000 houses in the plantation sector, is nearing completion.

Phase IV of the IHP, announced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi d...