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Project to reconstruct entire irrigation network - Minister

by Kurunegala North group correspondent

There should be an increase in production for the rapid growth of economy. To this effect the UNF Government has already taken steps to promote Water Management in order to help the farmer generation of the country to increase production. For this purpose the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Management will implement a project to renovate and re-construct the total irrigational network of the island, said Minister of Irrigation and Water Management Gamini Jayawickrama Perera addressing the public meeting that followed the seminar for Farmer Organisations in Kurunegala district held at Hondugala Viharaya premises Kurunegala.

This meeting was presided over by Ven. Hondugala Ayupala Nayake Thera, the Chief Adhikarana Sanganayake of Ihala Dolospattuwa Sathkorale Maha Disawa.

He said that the implementation of the irrigational project has commenced and at the preliminary stages of the Magalle Wewa, Batalagoda Lake, Inginimitiya reservoir and the Kurunegala Wenderu Wewa irrigation scheme are under renovation and about 100 small irrigational scheme works were completed.

The Minister addressing the problems confronting to the farmers of the Wayamba Province said that in order to solve the water problem, he has suggested to the government about the massive Kelani Ganga diversion project, but the government at the moment does not have funds as the country's economy is below par due to the financial mismanagement of the previous PA government.

He said that he will seek permission from the government to have negotiations with the Asian Development Bank for the successful implementation of the project and once this project is completed the water problem of Wayamba farmers would be totally solved.

Minister Perera also said that in order to solve the drinking water problem of the Kurunegala town area he has requested the Kurunegala Municipal Council to open the 300 national water resources that are closed and to renovate Kurunegala Lake, Tampone Lake and Bodagamuwa Lake to hold a greater capacity of water. Mrs. Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake, Minister of Women's Affairs, Johnston Fernando, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Ven. Hondugala Ayupala Nayaka Thera and several others also spoke.

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