A symbolic cheque, to mark the implementation of nine projects in the Maldives under the High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) scheme, was handed over to Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid by Indian High Commissioner Sunjay Sudhir, on Tuesday.

The bilateral MoU on HICDPs was signed in March 2019, during a visit by India’s former External Minister, the late Sushma Swaraj.

While a total grant of USD 5.6 million was announced then, this is in addition to the USD seven million extended during the same visit for execution of small projects.

The Indian High Commission in Maldives said that the projects chosen “are those that have a high-level of community impact and participation in the areas of livelihood and income generation, health, education, gender, and child empowerment, sports, sustainable development, etc”.

An MoU was signed under the HICDP scheme in December last year. They are; the construction of three fish-processing plants in Maradhoo, Hithadhoo and Hulhudhoo in Addu city. Five additional MoUs were signed in February 2020, for establishing the Addu Tourism Zone in Feydhoo, Meedhoo, Hithadhoo, Hulhudhoo and Maradhoo districts. A sixth MoU was also signed at the time to set up a bottled water plant in Hoarafushi island in Haa Alif atoll.

While Addu City Council is the Implementing Agency for the Fish-processing plants and eco-tourism projects, the Hoarafushi Council will steer the process for setting up of a bottled-water plant in Hoarafushi.

The Indian High Commission noted that local councils “have done a splendid job in steering forward” with the HICDP projects despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the handover ceremony held at the Foreign Ministry of Tuesday evening, High Commissioner Sudhir underlined India’s comprehensive strategy of development cooperation with the Maldives.

He also noted that Indian development assistance “covers a wide swathe of sectors including fisheries, eco-tourism and sustainable development, sports infrastructure, coastal protection and includes projects such as procurement of vehicles and machinery for City councils, infrastructural upgrade of critical institutions, construction of school classrooms, development of community centers and parks including children's parks etc.”

Noting that the larger line of credit project include development of infrastructure related to Water and Sanitation, Roads and Reclamation, Port, Cancer Hospital, Cricket Stadium, Airport development etc”, the high commissioner stressed that “the projects both large and small, covers the entire expanse of Maldives from north to the south.”

Further highlighting that tendering, price negotiations, award of tenders, monitoring and execution was done by the Maldivian ministries and agencies, Sudhir said that this made the projects, “of the Maldivians, by the Maldivians and for the Maldivians” and added that this “is a reflection of the democratic ideals cherished by the peoples of both Maldives and India.”