10 year programme focus at Development Forum

COLOMBO: The Government's 10 year development plan and the strategies adopted in its realisation will be the main focus of discussion when the Sri Lanka Development Forum gets underway today in Galle.

The two day Forum under the theme 'Mahinda Chintana' vision for a new Sri Lanka -a 10 year development horizon framework for 2006 to 2016 will be inaugurated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Light House Hotel Galle.

More than 200 participants are billed to attend the event including development partners of Sri Lanka represented by IMF, World Bank and UN representatives, together with Business Chambers and Trade Unions.

Galle was decided on as the venue considering that it bore the worst brunt in the Tsunami devastation and also it being the location where a host of mega infrastructure projects have been initiated in the South under the Mahinda Chintana.

A document is to be presented at today's Forum setting out the medium term strategies of the Government based on the Mahinda Chintana'.

Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera said the Forum will provide an opportunity to engage in a wider consultation process with all stakeholders on a number of important areas.

The Government's focus will be directed at improving the national and rural infrastructure development with the focus on projects such as Gama Neguma.

Another document will also be presented on Post-Tsunami recovery which will enable donor representatives to assess the progress in that field.