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| Monday, 21 April 2003 |
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| Oil basins on coastal belts favourable- Minister Jayasuriya by P. Rajaratnam in Nuwara Eliya Minister of Power and Energy, Karu Jayasuriya told a meeting at Pattipola of the government venturing and exploring the fortunes of finding Oil Basins in the Hambantota and Mannar coastal belts. He said so far from the surveys the government has got favourable findings, and when parliament meets in May he would submit the reports and find the funds with foreign collaboration on this important issue. The Minister was speaking at Sirisamagama where 225 families were given electricity supplies. He reminded the village was the brainchild of late Gamini Dissanayake in 1987 and the villagers had to wait for 16 long years to get their electricity. Minister Jayasuriya said it was his ministry's intention to install electricity supplies to all rural and plantation areas in the future with the aid and assistance from countries like China, Kuwait, the Asian Development Bank and others. He said the government under the stewardship of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe with the peace process in the country was keen to give the necessary impetus to the uplift of the rural population, with roads, schools, electricity, small scale industries and solve the problem of unemployment in the country. The Minister said though the country gained its independence 55 years ago and the country having its minor electricity supplies about 110 years yet by 1995 only 61% of the population were able to be the recipients of electricity supplies till to-date. Within another five years, the target was to get 80% of power, and he hoped by which, the up and coming younger generation will be greatly benefited with computer science and other advanced technology. He called upon the senior officials of the Electricity Board who were present to ensure that they worked hard in fulfilling the aspirations of both the government and the people. The Minister's intention was to start power generating units early at St. Clair and Manikkawatte areas in the hill country. He also paid a tribute to Gunasinghe Suriyaperuma of the PA for his part towards initiating action for the development of this village, as mentioned by Deputy Minister Navin Dissnayake. Deputy Minister for Plantation Industries and Member of Parliament for Nuwara Eliya district Navin Dissanayake said he was happy to accomplish the task taken by his late father Gamini Dissanayake who had founded this village during 1985 with the supply of electricity. The Additional General Manager of the Ceylon Electricity Board, D. R. Pulleperuma called upon the people in the village to safeguard the electricity which will be a boon to them in finding self help employment particularly among the youth and further encourage the children's educational perspectives. |
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