Rao said the Sri Lankan government has made efforts to resettle nearly three lakh displaced civilians after shifting them from the welfare centres in the North and East.
In the first high-level contact between the two countries after the presidential polls in Colombo, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao today met Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and assured him of India's support to the process of resettlement and rehabilitation of Tamil civilians.
Rao met Rajapaksa over lunch at Janadhipathi Mandiraya (president's house), and congratulated him for his resounding victory in the January 26 presidential polls.
"She expressed India's willingness to continue assisting Sri Lanka in the resettlement of the IDPs...India was also keen to assist in the complete restoration of the railway line in the North," an official statement from the presidential secretariat said.
Rao, who had earlier served in Colombo as Indian high commissioner, also said the Sri Lankan government has made efforts to resettle nearly three lakh displaced civilians after shifting them from the welfare centres in the North and East.
India is assisting Sri Lanka in relief and rehabilitation of the Tamil civilians and has already allocated Rs500 crore for this purpose.
New Delhi has also been nudging Colombo to quickly follow up the military victory with a political solution that satisfies the minority communities, especially Tamils.
Rao and Rajapaksa also discussed the problems being faced by fishermen of both the countries, besides other issues of bilateral interest.
The president and foreign secretary also discussed the proposed coal powered power project in Trincomalee and the necessity for understanding between the two countries on the issues of protection of environment and eco-system.
During the meeting, Rao also told Rajapaksa that his victory in the Presidential polls would give a further boost to the bilateral ties.
"The Indian foreign secretary was of the view that Sri Lanka had made considerable success on the resettling of Tamil civilians in the North and the East, with the number now standing at less than 70,000," the statement said.
"She noted this issue had now gone away from the attention of the international community," the statement said.
Rao told Rajapaksa that prime minister Manmohan Singh looked forward to an early visit by him to India.
About the political situation in Sri Lanka, Rao said the presence of more than 1,000 candidates in the forthcoming general election and the north and eastern provinces showed the enthusiasm of the people for the democratic process.
"This also showed the change that had taken place with the restoration of peace. There is a great sense of hope and
optimism in the air wherever I have been to," she said.
The Indian foreign secretary is in Colombo to participate in the opening of the Sri-Lanka-India Centre of English Language Training ( SLICELT) at Peradeniya on the outskirts of Kandy.
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