COLOMBO, March 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) 
will provide fund for poverty reduction and improving rural 
economy in the war-torn Sri Lanka under a poverty reduction 
partnership program, the official Daily News said on Saturday.
   Under the program, the ADB will allocate 200 million U.S. 
dollars for poverty reduction for this year and it will provide 
similar amounts annually for the purpose. The program which has 
been targeted for the period 2002 to 2015, is expected to reduce 
poverty from the present 40 to 20 percent during that period.
   The program was signed Friday by Sri Lankan Finance Minister K.
N. Choksy and ADB President Tadao Chino who is on a visit to the 
country.
   The ADB has outlined several projects this year for highways 
and future assistance will cover agriculture and natural resources.
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