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| Wednesday, 3 September 2003 |
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On a concept of human development on plantations Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would provide funds to continue the housing programme to improve the living conditions of estate families. Foreign donors have already promised funds for his programme and 20,000 houses will be built next year, Minister of Plantation Industries Lakshman Kiriella said addressing a gathering at Tennahena estate, Deniyaya. The opening of seven completed housing projects under the Plantation Human Development Trust on Tennahena, Hulanduwa and Indola Estates belonging to Numunukula Plantations and Thalawakelle Plantations Ltd. took place last Friday. Minister Kiriella said human development as envisaged by the government, as a vital factor in the overall development of the nation. Through human development we will not only improve the quality of life, but also the dignity of the estate workers. This will lead to overall peace and unity and we will soon see a new socio-culture emerging among plantation families," he said. The Minister revealed that during the next three months at least 500 housing units would be built in the Deniyaya area, under the programme of replacing line rooms with decent housing units in the plantations. New houses to estate staff too were being provided keeping with the concept of improving the quality of life, he added. Kiriella said the pace of house building on estates will soon be quickened when the donor countries start sending the funds they have already promised. Deputy Minister of Power and Energy Sagala Ratnayake said that after the recent disastrous floods, handing over of houses to the estate workers who suffered very much could be some consolation to them. "In the Tennahena estate alone two housing projects have been opened and more such projects will be opened in the future. We are thankful to the manager of the estate Anura Ekanayake and his assistant Theekshana de Silva for their enthusiasm and the help they have extended in the completion of these projects on Tennahena estate," Ratnayake said. Manager of Tennahena estate Aruna Ekanayake in his welcome address thanked the Plantation Industries Minister, the Minister of Small Holdings and Deputy Minister of Power and Energy and others for gracing the occasion with their presence and opening the housing projects. These recipients of houses would be ever so grateful to the minister, the estate company and the others responsible for the housing projects, he added. |
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