The Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme (JDS) was initiated in Sri Lanka in 2010 with the aim of building the capacity of executive level public officials.

Under the 1st phase during the period 2010-2013, 60 officials have been given the opportunity of following Master;s Degree in three Japanese Universities in the fields of Policy and Public Finance, Public Administration, Regional Development, and Macro and Development Economics.  Around 30 officials of the 1st and 2nd batches have returned after completing the Degree.

Accordingly, the Government of Japan has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Japanese Yen 215 million (approximately Rs. 245 million) to Sri Lanka for the 1st year (2014) of the second phase of this Programme which is to be implemented from 2014 to 2017.

The Government of Sri Lanka expect that the Government officials who will be benefited under this programme will contribute to the social and economic development of the country in a productive manner with self – confidence. It can highly be contributed to strengthen the bilateral relationship between two countries. (KH/SI)