Archives

Novel scheme to develop Kalmunai Region

Addalaichenai special correspondent

Massive development projects are to be undertaken in Kalmunai under the urban development scheme on the recommendation of the Western Region Development Ministry.

A set of proposals are being drawn for this scheme, said M. M. Musthapha, Member of Parliament on Tuesday at Kalmunai Mahmud Ladies' College Conference Hall where a press conference was held following the visits of earmarked places for these development schemes by a team of officials from the Urban Development Authority led by A. Jayaratnam, the Provincial Director of the Urban Development Authority of the North-East province accompanying him.

Addressing the Mediamen, the Member of Parliament Musthapha said that due to the two decades of war, the development projects have been abandoned in this region and numerous government buildings are unable to be used for office purposes as they were partly damaged by the war. Now the peace talks between the government and the LTTE have paved the way to renovate them under UDA.

The donor countries and foreign funding agencies have come forward to provide financial assistance to our country to undertake the development projects in the NEP.

After the donor countries conference which was scheduled to be held in June in Japan, this financial assistance will be made available to our country and this will be spent for development projects in NEP through SHRAN, NECORD and NEIAP, he said.

In the North, plans have been drawn for this scheme. But, in the East, there is no such plans and proposals forwarded by anyone. When I raised this matter to the notice of the Minister of Western Region Development, M. H. Mohamed, he sent a team of UDA officials by agreeing to my request to assess the work plans and draw a novel scheme to develop Kalmunai region.

As a result, the team visited some abandoned places within the limit of Kalmunai Municipal Council area and have identified a number of buildings demolished in the past war to transform into various development purposes. Accordingly, plans are under way to renovate the old Paddy Marketing Board located in the Kalmunai east and utilise this building for various business purposes by providing this building to business entrepreneurs.

Plans also have been drawn to restore the old post office building and set up a Foreign Employment Bureau Training Centre in this building with the objective of providing employment opportunities to the youth. In addition to, proposals were prepared to develop Kalmunai into several ways such as putting up a modern post office, fully fledged rest house, market complex, a playground, and a bus stand with modern facilities, Mr. Musthapha also said.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager