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Monday, 30 January 2017 00:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Maithripala Sirisena today ceremonially launched the Kumbukkan Oya Reservoir Project in the Monaragala District for the benefit of the people in the Uva-Wellassa area.
The Kumbukkan Oya Reservoir Project, at a cost of Rs. 31 billion, will irrigate the lands in the Moneragala District, boosting agriculture to eliminate poverty in the area.
Speaking at the event, President Sirisena said uplifting agriculture to improve the living conditions of the farmers was a priority for the Government and a program has been implemented to achieve those goals. Measures have been taken to renovate small and medium-scale tanks and to launch new irrigation schemes.
The Government is methodically implementing plans to resettle people who lose their lands to development projects and to improve their economy, the President assured, adding that there would be no problems relating to those issues.
The President said that steps would be taken to resolve the problems of the people through the development of the Monaragala District.
A reservoir with a capacity of 48 million cubic meters will be built across the Kumbukkan Oya reservoir through the project and it is expected to provide irrigation for 4,280 hectares of new lands in the Buttala, Monaragala and Siyambalanduwa areas and for 1,255 hectares of agricultural lands already cultivated.
It would also pave the way for providing drinking water to the Monaragala, Nakkala, Kumbukkana, Okkampitiya and Buttala areas and generate electricity as well.
Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Deputy Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena, Director of Special Projects of the Uva Province Jagath Pushpakumara and Governor of the Uva Province M. P Jayasinghe were also present at the occasion.
