The Government will launch a Rs 78 billion national irrigation development program this month to revitalise damaged irrigation systems, boosting agricultural productivity, and empowering farmers, Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation Dr. Susil Ranasinghe said yesterday.
Funds have been allocated to Provincial Councils across the country, with particular emphasis on the North Central and Wayamba Provinces. The total expenditure on irrigation projects is expected to reach Rs 90 billion, according to sources at the Department of Irrigation.
The program will be launched in Galenbindunuwewa, Anuradhapura, by Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lalkantha. The Minister will inaugurate emergency reconstruction work on vulnerable sections of the Aluth Divulwewa tank embankment, which is currently at risk of collapse. Urgent repairs and precautionary evacuations are under way.
The project will improve 7,000 acres of the Aluth Divulwewa embankment, Dr. Ranasinghe said.
The initiative forms part of the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) 2024 election manifesto pledge to overhaul the country’s agricultural and irrigation infrastructure. The manifesto promises the restoration of tanks, canals, and river diversion systems across the country. The Government will also fund the introduction of rainwater harvesting/conservation and micro-irrigation technologies. Plans also include establishing cold storage and processing units for agricultural products through public-private partnerships.
The Government has also introduced a new program, ‘Govi Bimata Punarudaya’ (“Revival for the Farmer”), spearheaded by Minister Lalkantha, to further drive agricultural transformation. The scheme will focus on identifying the most suitable crops for each region using scientific methods, with cultivation approved by the area’s Agricultural Commissioner. As part of the initiative, the Agriculture Ministry will implement 1,000 farmer-led projects.
