ADB provides USD 200 Mn loan for post-cyclone Ditwah reconstruction

The Government has secured a USD 200 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement the Post-Cyclone Ditwah Reconstruction and Livelihoods Support Project from 2026 to 2030.

The financial assistance will support the rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, with enhanced climate resilience. It will also contribute to the restoration of cyclone-damaged irrigation systems, the provision of agricultural livelihood assistance to affected families and housing restoration grants for households impacted by the cyclone.

The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development will be the executing agency of the project.

The project comprises three key components, which will be implemented by the following agencies:

Component 1 – Rehabilitation and reconstruction of cyclone-damaged road infrastructure: The Road Development Authority (RDA).

Component 2 – Restoration of cyclone-damaged irrigation systems: The Irrigation Department (ID) and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka (MASL).

Component 3 – Restoration of livelihoods and housing of cyclone-affected households: The Department of Agrarian Development (DAD) for agricultural support and the National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC) for housing support.

Accordingly, the loan agreements were signed at the Treasury in Colombo today (18) by Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, and Shannon Cowlin, Country Director, ADB Sri Lanka Resident Mission, on behalf of the Asian Development Bank.