Moragahakanda on target

Uditha Kumarasinghe and Irangika Range

KOTTE: Agricultural Development and Agrarian Service Development Minister Maitripala Sirisena yesterday told Parliament that the construction work on the Moragahakanda reservoir commenced by the Government on January this year is successfully progressing on target.

Responding to an adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, the Minister said Moragahakanda is the biggest agriculture project of the Mahaweli Development Plan.

“However all other reservoirs constructed under the Mahaweli Development Programme were given priority on power generation. However, Moragahakanda project gives 99.9 per cent priority for agriculture development. The reservoir will generate only 20MW.”

According to the Minister, the Government has allocated Rs.500 million to commence the initial construction work on this mega irrigation scheme for 2007. The Inland Revenue Department has pledged to provide Rs.15,000 million for Moragahakanda project.

“This is a great victory achieved by the Government because the Inland Revenue Department has never agreed to provide this kind of money for any development project. The total estimated cost of the Moragahakanda project is US$ 450 million US dollars.”

Several countries including China, Australia and Iran have pledged to undertake major segments of this project. Therefore construction work on Moragahakanda reservoir is in a very successful stage,” the Minister said.

He said various successive Governments spoke of undertaking this project over the past 30 to 35 years but they failed to commence this project. As pledged in Mahinda Chintana, President Mahinda Rajapaksa commenced the construction work on this project soon after assuming power.

The Government has commenced several national level development projects such as the Hambantota harbour, Weerawila International Airport, Norochcholai coal power plant and Upper Kotmale project, he said.

The Moragahakanda project will provide a lasting solution to the acute shortage of water in areas such as Matale, Anuradhapura, Horowpathana, Nikaweratiya, Yapahuwa, Puttalam, Padaviya and Sripura. The project will provide more benefits to the Anuradhapura district, he said.