The Jaffna district has allocated Rs. 6,000 million for development projects, Secretary to the Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs, V. Sivagnanasothy stated in a press release yesterday.
As a part of the interventions, the Ministry is building 2,565 owner-driven brick and mortar type houses in the Jaffna district for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and refugee returnees under the durable solutions program. This is part of the 10,000 houses program initiated by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for the conflict affected communities in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces. Rs. 2.5 billion has been allocated for this housing project whereas 1,500 houses have been already completed and the balance is expected to be completed by the end of next month.
Further, Rs. 678 million has been provided for resettlement whereas Gamperaliya (Rapid Rural Development Program) has allocated Rs. 3,000 million of which Rs. 2,713 million has been released as of this month. Under Rural Infrastructure Development Project (RIDP), Rs. 336.09 million has been allocated for 57 projects.
Meanwhile Rs. 36.4 million has been allocated under the special Budget proposal for toddy bottling plants, sweet toddy bottling plants and jaggery production plants to increase value-added palmyrah products.
An iconic 12-storey cultural centre is being built in the Jaffna district with a grant assistance of Rs. 1,800 million from the Government of India. The centre includes an auditorium, museum, display gallery, floating stage, and an institutional wing with an aesthetic centre.
A large amount of money has also been allocated to develop roads, schools and water supply projects in the district.
Further, Rs. 58.1 million has been allocated to develop Gurunagar Fishery Harbour.
All these projects will contribute to improve the living standards of low income groups, women headed families, IDP families, refugee returnee families, mine affected families, families of missing persons and other vulnerable communities.