India, Sri Lanka discuss roadmap for training 1,500 officers from island nation

New Delhi: A roadmap is being discussed for a collaboration between the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Sri Lanka’s Institute of Development Administration to train 1,500 administrative officers of the island nation in India, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.

A high-level Indian delegation, led by NCGG Director General and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) Secretary V Srinivas, visited Sri Lanka from July 7-9.

According to an statement issued on Thursday by the Personnel Ministry, the visit was marked by productive deliberations and strategic meetings, and paved the way for enhanced bilateral cooperation and capacity building support for senior public officials of Sri Lanka.

“The two sides discussed the roadmap for collaboration between the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration for capacity building programs for 1,500 Sri Lanka Administrative Service Officers in India for 2024-2029 including faculty development programs and district collector level interactions,” said the statement. The two-day visit to Colombo included a courtesy call on Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Chandra Rupasinghe Gunawardena on July 9.

The meeting highlighted the robust bilateral relations and India’s steadfast commitment under its “Neighbors First” policy toward Sri Lanka’s ongoing governance reforms, the statement said.

The delegation also held meetings with President’s Secretary E M S B Ekanayake; Prime Minister’s Secretary Anura Dissanayake; Secretary Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs, Provincial Council and Local Government Pradeep Yasarathne to further

strengthen the efforts for collaboration between the two countries, it said.