External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna today reaffirmed that India will stay engaged to revive the livelihood of those in the war ravaged Northern Province and help people rebuild their lives. He visited Medawachchiya this afternoon for formal inauguration of reconstruction work the Northern Railway lines. Today's ceremony marked the launch of works on the Medawachchiya-Madhu line by IRCON International Ltd Speaking to a large gathering who had assembled to witness the event, Krishna announced that as a part of these works, a new pier at Talaimannar will also be built.He also committed that to enable resumption of ferry services between Talaimannar and Rameswaram at an early date, IRCON will also build a temporary jetty at Talaimannar. The resumption of this ferry service will re-establish old ties and the linkages that have existed historically between the two countries. He said the reconstruction of transport-related infrastructure will restore normal life, generate and support livelihood-related activities and also assist in restoring connectivity, not only within the Northern Province, but also with the rest of the country, thus promoting integration and reconciliation. Earlier in the day, speaking at the inaugural ceremony to mark the opening of the Indian consulate in Jaffna town, seen as the cultural and commercial bastion of the Sri Lankan Tamils, Krishna said that while the focus is on the immediate tasks of relief and rehabilitation, in the longer term reconstruction in the province will be a priority. On the war between the Sri Lanka security forces and the LTTE which ended in May last year, the Minister said that Sri Lanka has recently come through probably the most difficult period in its history. He said while the armed conflict impacted on all sections of the population, it did so disproportionately on the civilian population of the Northern Province. The Minister said that India has tried to contribute whatever it can to alleviate the miseries and difficulties the people in Northern Province underwent with relief supplies in the initial stages and assistance to the Sri Lankan Government in resettlement and rehabilitation of the nearly three lakh war displaced. He also participated in a ground-breaking ceremony of the Pilot Project for the Government of India-aided housing project under which 50,000 houses will be built in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka. Earlier this month, India has also begun the process of donating seeds as well as 500 tractors, with their associated tools and implements, for distribution to agrarian service centers in the Northern Province. Calling for a meaningful devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, he said it will create the necessary conditions for a lasting political settlement.