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| Sunday, 26 September 2004 |
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Rajarata development gets under way by L. S. A. Wedarachchi A development plan to uplift the living conditions of the Rajarata people will commence in January next year. Development activities which had been at a standstill during the last two years come under the purview of the Mahaweli Ministry. Mahaweli, River Basin Development and Rajarata Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena said that poverty, lack of water, including drinking water, unemployment, malnutrition, poor education facilities as well as the lack of infrastructure facilities are the formidable problems faced by people of Rajarata. Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura districts which come under Rajarata have a population of 1.1 million according to the latest census and statistics report. Although the funds were not allocated by the previous regime in their budget for the development projects in Rajarata, in the alliance government's forthcoming budget there will be an allocation of a considerable amount of funds for the exclusive development of Rajarata. According to the River Basin Development Minister, rural infrastructure development projects in Rajarata will be financed by Asian Development Bank. Supplying sufficient water for cultivation as well as for drinking is another area where urgent attention should be drawn. It has been revealed that at present some rural areas suffer from not having purified drinking water in Rajarata. "Immediate steps should be taken to eradicate malnutrition of our rural population. Under the proposed plans rural based education health and infrastructure development activities addressed to eradicate malnutrition as well as other menaces of the rural population, will be launched." Sirisena said. "The livestock sector of agriculture based Sri Lanka should be developed. A carefully designed special project will be implemented both in Rajarata and Mahaweli areas." "Ten thousand high breading cows and seeds of high nutritional grass will be flown from India under the Indian government assistance programme." he added. It is expected to popularize the cattle farming as a self employment among the youth and all necessary assistance will be given them". "Development banks as Rajarata Development Bank will be utilized to give maximum assistance to farmers as well as to small and medium scale industrialists." "It is essential to develop infrastructure facilities as roads, electricity, drinking water etc in the Mahaweli areas - River Basin, Rajarata and Mahaweli Development Ministry will take all necessary steps to achieve the objectives of infrastructure development which are under its purview, the Minister said. |
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