Infrastructures for resettled internal displaced people (IDPs)

Abstract

World Bank assisted US$ 44 billion during 2009 and 2013 as emergency recovery assistant through economic development ministry of Sri Lanka to repair, reconstruct and restore vital infrastructure facilities damaged by the internal armed conflict in Northern Province. Main objective of this study is to analyze that how foreign aids of international donors go to pork barrel political expenditures hence inefficient infrastructures in Jaffna district of Northern Province as aid for emergency recovery. This study took 127 sub infrastructure projects in Jaffna district valued Rs 1202.36 Million. Among studied projects, 80 projects valued Rs 596.7 Mn directly benefited to resettled people. 44 projects valued 577.94 Million have not benefited to resettled people. It is 48.06 percent of total cost. When resettled people have been suffering without space to sleep in their temporary houses, without class rooms and toilet in schools, lack of other emergency infrastructure needs in resettled area, the funding has been used to build luxury auditorium, class room, tiled floor, air condition, vehicle garages, boundary wall in first grade national schools and offices in urban area which absorbed more resources when internal displaced people settled temporary in war time before 2009. Water supply board of Sri Lanka has increased its capital and revenues sources by constructing new pipe line supply which is mismatch development and much cost services to vulnerable people. Foreign aids have been spent to politically influenced area and bureaucrats of project also misused their position in identification of emergency needs. Regulations of project mentioned in project paper have been violated severely. Only around 50 percent of benefits of project went to targeted people. This study does not investigate technical quality of works in engineering side. If we include the quality of work, the overall benefits to target groups become very less. This study compares the findings with findings of William Easterly, famous economist in World Bank in relation to foreign aids and productivity from capital formation. William Easterly found that, “ Both Nigeria and Hong Kong have increased their physical capital stock per worker by over 250 percent over 1960 to 1985 time frame. The results of this massive investment were different. Nigeria’s output per worker rose by 12 percent from 1960 to 1985, while Hong Kong rose by 328 percent.” Politicians in developing countries use poor as hostage to receive foreign aids from donors and get personal benefits from projects. Findings of this study are comparable with Easterly’s findings. One of water supply project received Rs 211 Mn from emergency recovery project to supply safety pipe line water to resettled people. No one has received water from this project even after overall project has closed in December 2013.