In a ceremony on 6 May 2013, High Commissioner of India H.E. Ashok K. Kantha, Hon'ble Douglas Devananda, Minister for Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development and Hon'ble G.A. Chandrasiri, Governor of Northern Province jointly unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the commissioning of plant and machinery donated by the Government of India to the Fishnet Factory Northsea Limited at Gurunagar, Jaffna. Consul General of India Mr. V. Mahalingam, Secretary of Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Mr. Sivagnanasothy, Chairman of Northsea Limited Mr. Arumugam Paranthaman and other senior officers of Northsea Limited were also present at the event.

Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner Kantha reiterated the high importance placed by India to support initiatives for early resettlement of displaced persons in Northern Province and providing opportunities to enhance their livelihoods. He also expressed satisfaction that projects of Indian assistance in Northern Province were progressing well and appreciated the support provided by the local authorities in this regard. He noted that through the support of the government and the local community, the second phase of the Indian Housing Project which was launched on 2 October 2012 for construction of 43,000 houses under the owner-driven model, was making good progress. More than 12,000 houses were already under construction and 10,000 houses were expected to be completed in the first year of the project. He also announced that the Northern Railway Project, which would re-establish connectivity to Jaffna and Talaimannar's, expected to be fully operational by March 2014. High Commissioner expressed the hope that Sri Lanka would continue to move rapidly towards peace, development and reconciliation which was for the betterment of all communities.

In their remarks, Hon'ble Douglas Devananda and Hon'ble G.A. Chandrasiri recalled various assistance programmes extended by the Government of India to the people of Northern Province during the tenure of High Commissioner Kantha and noted that such assistance has been timely, followed a phased approach and was entirely based on priorities set by the Government and people of Sri Lanka. They expressed their sincere appreciation on behalf of the Provincial Government and the people of the Northern Province for this assistance which had gone a long way in supporting return of normalcy in the Province.

The Northsea Fishnet Factory has been upgraded with the supply of plant and machinery under this project which is entirely funded through grant assistance by the Government of India to the tune of SLR 166 million (USD 1.32 million). The project involves supply of four fishnet making machines and fishnet stretching machines besides setting up of a water purifier system, dye plant, etc. The Factory is expected to be fully functional by end of May 2013. Following the upgradation, production is expected to increase from the present level of 60 metric tonnes per year to 300 metric tonnes per year.

India has also been supporting other projects for rehabilitation, resettlement and well-being of displaced persons in the Northern Province in the areas of shelter (through donation of roofing sheets & cement bags and construction & repair of houses under the Indian Housing Project for 50,000 houses), health-care (providing emergency medical relief, organising artificial limbs re-fitment camps and equipping hospitals), livelihood generation (provision of fishing equipment, tractors, bicycles, trishaws, agricultural equipment and seeds), education (repairs of 79 schools, distribution of computers & printers to schools, establishing nenashalas, supply of buses to educational institutions and setting up of vocational training centres), improving industrial/ research infrastructure and trading opportunities (rehabilitation of Atchuvely Industrial Estate, Palmyrah Research Institute and financial assistance for renovation of damaged business buildings) and infrastructure development (restoration of Northern Railway lines and rehabilitation of Palaly Airport).