National level programme to develop rural roads
 

by Chamikara Weerasinghe

The Ministry of Highways has stepped up action to introduce a national level programme for the development of rural roads throughout the country on the instructions of . Prime Minister and Highways Minister Mahinda Rajapakse.

The programme will be funded by the Asian Development Bank under its Small Scale Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Upgrading Project (SIRUP)

It will commence today (2nd) with the participation of members of Pradeshiya Sabhas in the respective electorates in Hambantota, Galle, Matara, Monaragala, Badulla, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, Ampara and Trincomalee.

Highway Ministry sources said that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had allocated Rs. 500 million for the project this year. The ministry plans to develop some 1,500 rural roads under Pradeshiya Sabhas.

A yearly allocation of Rs. 2 million will be made to a Member of Parliament, Rs. 1.5 million to a Provincial Minister, and Rs. 500,000 to a Pradeshiya Sabha member under the programme.

Mahinda Rajapakse said about the project that it was aimed at developing those marked as grade C and D roads belonging to provincial Councils and local governments in the respective areas in keeping with the vision of the Alliance Government to provide the rural public with an effective transport service.

Ministry sources said that monies would be allocated to each road construction under the project based on the success of each project undertaken by the respective members.

A system has been introduced to allocate money in a number of phases to see each project through to its end, sources added.