Ratnapura to develop at a cost of Rs. 1.6 b

Government has allocated Rs. 1603 million for the accelerated development of 575 Grama Niladhari Divisions of 17 Divisional Secretarial areas in the Ratnapura District, according to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Under this programmed Rs.575 million will be allocated for the One-Task-for-One– Village Project, Rs. 628 million for the ministry’s second project for community development and improving people’s livelihoods and Rs. 400 million for the Town Development Project of the Local and Government and Provincial Councils Ministry.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa made this announcement at a meeting held in connection with the One-Task-for-One-Village Project of the Gama Neguma 2012 programmed at the District Secretariat Ratnapura on 22 February.    Senior Minister A.H.M Fowzie, local Government and Provincial Councils Minister A.L.M. Athaulla and Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath too attended the meeting which was coordinated by Ratnapura District Secretary Sunil Kannangara.  Also present at this event were MPs, Provincial Councilors, Municipal Councillors and local Government members representing the Rantapura, Balangoda, Eheliyagoda, Pelmadulla, Rakwana, Nivithigala, Kalawana and Kolonne Electorates.

 The allocation of Rs.575 million for developing 575 Grama Niladhari Divisions with Rs. 1 million for each division – giving priority to the proposals made by the Ratnapura Municipal Council, the urban councils, 17 pradeshiya sabhas and Jana sabhas of the district was approved at this meeting. Minister Basil Rajapaksa said his ministry was provided with these funds under President Rajapaksa’s 2012 budget for the Gama Neguma program.

The minister said this would benefit the district’s 1,098,808 people including rural communities comprising 81 per cent of the population and those in plantation areas comprising 10 per cent.  He expressed confidence that these projects would also be a boon to Samurdhi beneficiaries who comprise 43 per cent of the population and help to reduce unemployment which now stood at 5 per cent.

He further said that his ministry would send Rs. 628 million exclusively on its second project for community development and improving the livelihoods of the people of the Ratnapura District.  Accordingly funds allocated for improving infrastructure facilities would be Rs. 132 million for Ratnapura, Rs. 68 million for Balangoda, Rs.95 million for Eheliyagoda, Rs. 48 million for Rakwana, Rs. 5 million for Nivithigala and Rs.90 million for Kalawana.   

The Government has decided to develop eight villages as towns in the district’s Pradeshiya Sabha areas of Ayagama, Imbulpe, Kolonna, Embilipitiya, Pelmadulla, Balangoda, Kahawatta and Ratnapura under the local Government and Provincial Council Ministry’s Pura Neguma program at a total cost of Rs.400 million.   Under the program each village will get a bus stand, building for a weekly fair, public playground,   library, Pradeshiya Sabha building, public toilets, pavements, public cemetery and a drainage system among other facilities. The local government areas to which the villages belong were decided at this meeting.

 Minister Rajapaksa said these projects would be a major boost not only the district’s main sources of income such as paddy, tea and rubber cultivations but also small industries including  gem and jewellery, handicraft and coir industries.

The district’s MPs Home Affairs Minister W.D.J Seneviratne, Technology Research Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Power and Energy Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekera, Ranjith de Soysa, Janaka Wakkumbura and Suny Rohana Kodituwakku, Provincial Council Ministers, Provincial Councilors, representatives of all local government bodies of the district and senior government officials including District Secretary Sunil Kannagara also participated in the meeting.