Production villages for East

Irangika RANGE

COLOMBO: The Government has decided to revive rural industries in the East by setting up 16 production villages under the Eastern Reawakening Programme.

A Rural Industries and Self-Employment Promotion Ministry Spokesman told the Daily News that the Government will embark on a massive rural industries development project by improving various types of demandable and value added business for the benefit of people in Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa.

It has decided to set up five manufacturing villages in each divisional secretariat level of the Batticaloa District.

The manufacturing process is expected to be commenced in Gomarankadawala, Agbopura, Paankulama, Chenrasanpura of Trincomalee next month while production in five villages including Siriduwa, Kawantissapura, Jayapura and Siraj Nagar of Trincomalee will start in this year.

The manufacturing process in five villages including Lahugala,

Unuwathura Bubula, Serankada, Bandaraduwa of Ampara District will commence in next month. Projects in Chawala Kade, Nainakadu and Maligaathenna of Amapara will be commenced before year end.

The Ministry hopes to allocate Rs.1 million to commence the business in each village considering the proposals and requirements of villagers.

Common Amenities Centres will be set up in each village while machinery, training programmes and credit facilities are being provided under the state sponsorship. “We will support the industrialists to market their products as well,” he said.

This revival would create many job opportunities in the province. “The liberation of East is a great victory which we should celebrate. We have now started an accelerated rural industries development programme in the area,” he said.