High-impact projects worth Rs. 2.15 b implemented in Kilinochchi District

The Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs has allocated Rs. 2,150 million for major development initiatives and is in the process of expeditiously implementing the programs and projects that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as subject Minister, has initiated. 

As a part of the development initiatives, 1,525 housing units (one housing unit at the cost of Rs.1 million) have been provided to support the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugee returnees who are returning to their home land. Further, Rs.264 million for resettlement activities; Rs. 300 million for Gamperaliya program; Rs.32.5 Million for Rural Infrastructure Development Projects (RIDP); Rs.24 Million for palmyrah development including toddy bottling, jaggery production and sweet sap production has been allocated by the Ministry said National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, and Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs Ministry Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy.

The Ministry has allocated Rs.81 million for Kilali, Eluthumadduwal Road; Rs.8.5 million to Urudippuram 4th Cross Street Road, and Rs.25 million formotor graders and other equipment for the Karachchi Pradeshiya Sabha and other Pradeshiya Sabhas for grading and levelling of roads. Moreover, Rs.300million has also been allocated under the Gamperaliya program, and the project of rehabilitating and reconstructing priority roads in the district is currently being implemented. In order to enhance the quality of service delivery in the health sector in Kilinochchi District, Rs.26.1 million has been allocated to construct an eye and orthopaedic surgery unit, Rs.14 million to acquire microscope facility, and Rs.5million for medical equipment. Also, to construct the eye surgery unit in Karachchi DS Division, Rs.13.5 Million and Rs.12.5 Million has been allocated to construct male and female medical wards in the Divisional Hospital in Pachchilaippalli. The above developments in the health sector are currently undertaken on a fast-track basis.

As education is a vital sector for economic development, Rs.6.7 million to develop the classroom in Murugananda College; Rs.7.5 million to St. Anthony’s RCTM, Rs.6.75 million to Vinasiyodai Girls School, Rs.5 million to Poonakari, Kiranchchi Girls’ College, Rs.1.6 million to develop four technologically evolved “Smart Class Room” facilities, and Rs.1.7 million to renovate class rooms in 14 selected schools has been allocated by the Ministry to ensure quality education is available in Kilinochchi District. Further, Rs.89 million to uplift Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSME),and Rs.16million has been allocated to develop the “Ammachchi” traditional food preparation and sales centre in the Engineering Faculty of Kilinochchi. A total allocation of Rs.24 million has been released for palmyrah development, of which Rs.8 million each has been released to Kandawalai DS division for jaggery production technological advancements, and to Poonkari and Palai DS divisions for toddy bottling. Further in 2018, Rs.11million was allocated to install a toddy bottling plant in Konavil,Rs.11 million was allocated for sweet toddy bottling in Kandawalai, and Rs.14 million was released for jaggery production and infrastructure development. These programs are underway in an effective manner. The Ministry also has released Rs.11 million to provide 750 pipe-borne water supply connections and as sanitation facilities,Rs.21 million has been allocated to construct 300 toilets. These high-impact development interventions give support to socially empower and economically improve the living standards of woman-headed household families, war-affected disabled families, families of missing persons, mine-affected families, and other vulnerable communities, said Ministry Secretary  Sivagnanasothy.