Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on January 20, 2022, jointly inaugurated the Social Housing Units Project in Mauritius. This project has been implemented as part of the vibrant development partnership between India and Mauritius.
On this occasion, the two Prime Ministers also took part in a virtual foundation stone laying ceremony for two other projects – construction of a state-of-the-art Civil Service College and a 8 MW Solar PV Farm. as part of India’s development support. The event was held via video-conference. The event in Mauritius was held on Mauritian PMO premises in presence of dignitaries including Cabinet Ministers and senior officials of the Government of Mauritius.
Speaking at the occasion, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the vision powering India’s development assistance defined by the needs and priorities of Mauritius and at the same time enhancing the well-being of the people and bolstering the capacities of the country. He acknowledged the importance of Civil Service College project in nation building and offered to share learnings of Mission Karmayogi.
He recalled the One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) initiative that he put forth at the First Assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in October 2018 and said that the 8 MW Solar PV Farm project will help mitigate the climate challenges that Mauritius faces through avoidance of 13,000 tons of CO2 emissions.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth thanked India for wide ranging assistance including financial assistance to Mauritius. He noted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi the relations between India and Mauritius have attained newer heights, according to a PIB release.
The Government of India in May 2016 had extended a grant of US$ 353 mn to the Government of Mauritius as Special Economic Package (SEP) to execute five priority projects identified by Government of Mauritius, among others. They were: the Metro Express Project, Supreme Court Building, New ENT Hospital, Supply of Digital Tablets to Primary School Children, and the Social Housing Project. With the inauguration of the Social Housing Project on January 20, all the high profile projects under the SEP have been implemented.
The Civil Service College project, located at Reduit is being financed through a grant support of US$ 4.74 million, under an MoU signed in 2017 during the visit of Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth to India. Once constructed, this will provide a fully equipped and functional facility for the civil servants of Mauritius to undertake various training and skill development programme. It will further strengthen institutional linkages with India.
The 8 MW Solar PV Farm project involves the installation of 25,000 PV cells to generate approximately 14 GWh of green energy annually, to electrify approximately 10,000 Mauritian households with an estimated avoidance of 13,000 tons of CO2 emissions every year helping Mauritius mitigate the effects of climate change.
The January 20, 2022, ceremony included exchange of two key bilateral agreements: Agreement for the extension of USD 190 million Line of Credit from the Government of India to the Government of Mauritius for the Metro Express and other infrastructure projects and MoU on the Implementation of Small Development Projects.
Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, India-Mauritius Development Partnership projects have progressed rapidly. In 2019, Prime Minister Modi and the Prime Minister Jugnauth had jointly inaugurated the Metro Express project and the New ENT Hospital in Mauritius in virtual mode. Likewise, in July 2020, the new Supreme Court Building of Mauritius was also inaugurated virtually by the two Prime Ministers.