Maga Neguma kicks off
BY CHAMIKARA Weerasinghe
THE Ministry of Highways yesterday marked the launching of Sri
Lanka's first national level rural road development program Maga Neguma
in 196 Pradeshiya Sabhas throughout the country,.
This covers various road projects under the program and as Highways
Minister, Premier Mahinda Rajapakse supervised the activities with the
use of computer technology from Temple Trees. Prime Minister Rajapakse
said the project was aimed at developing rural economy.
"It is envisioned to construct access roads in Pradeshiya Sabhas. We
have selected more than 1,500 roads to be constructed this year ," he
said.
"We will have spent Rs. 750 million for the projects this year. The
roads will be developed with the labour of rural folk in the
construction process," he said.
The Highways Minister said that steps would be taken to construct
concrete roads in areas which are prone to landslides, under Maga Udana.
The Asian Development Bank is funding the project under its Small
Scale Infrastructure Rehabilitation Upgrading Project (SIRUP). It has
allocated Rs. 500 million for the project this year.
Arrangements have been made to oversee the project from a monitoring
unit with IT facilities at Temple Trees. The project had been commenced
on the advice of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, on a
concept of Prime Minister Rajapakse, Highway Ministry sources said.
Rajapakse said that this programme will continue without a pause in the
middle.
"Roads to be developed will be selected from Pradeshiya Sabhas every
year, and they will be developed with the participation of the public
and members of local governments in keeping with the road standards
maintained by the Road Development Authority," he said.
Sources at RDA said that roads will be 10 feet in width and they will
be constructed to last long with the use of the four-inch , one and half
inch metals in keeping with the RDA standards.
Secretary, Ministry of Highways, S. Amarasekera said Maga Neguma
programme had paved the way for the convergence of Provincial Councils
and local government bodies to function as a unit.
With the monitoring centre at Temple Trees, it is expected that
corruption will be minimised. |