A true resurgence in the East

Mohammed Naalir

The Eastern Province which was neglected for decades due to terrorism will achieve the peak of the development once the newly launched projects under Neganahira Navodaya (Eastern Resurgence) are completed.

There is no doubt that the East will emerge as one of the most developed provinces once these projects are completed. This will be the biggest development revolution in Sri Lanka.

The development of infrastructure facilities and human resources is vital in this regard. The development of Highways and roads, agriculture, health and sanitation facilities is also crucial.

The Government is getting international help to develop these essential sectors in the Eastern province.

As terrorism was completely uprooted by the Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa the obstacles that prevented the implementation of development projects in the Eastern province ended and the people in the province are enjoying democracy after decades.

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry, Social Service and Social Welfare ministry, Highways and Road Development Ministry, Agriculture and Agrarian Service Ministry and several other Ministries already have launched development projects in the province including the recently liberated areas.

Billions of rupees have been invested for eastern development by the Government together with the international community.

Healthcare

A spokesman for the Health-care and Nutrition Ministry noted that the Government had to rebuild the health sector which was disrupted for decades due to terrorism.

Several health institutions in the province were functioning without medical officers prior to 2003.

There was no proper infrastructure development in the province until now. The Ministry will provide human resources to the healthcare institutions in the province. He said the Government is aiming to restore the health services in the North and East province on par with other provinces, to ensure health facilities to all.

Meanwhile the Ministry has taken steps to train and develop adequate human resources in the province with the participation of provincial Government, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and World Bank, UNFPA, Asian Development Bank (ADB) through NECORD.

The administration of Teaching Hospital Jaffna, Teaching Hospital Batticaloa, General Hospital Ampara, Base Hospital Kantale, Base Hospital Kalmunai, Ashraff Memorial Hospital Kalmunai and the Base Hospital Akkaraipattu has been brought under the direct control of Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry considering for further development.

The Ministry has taken steps to fill the vacancies in the health sector. One hundred and thirty medical officers were appointed to the hospitals in 2007 and 228 nurses have been employed.

Meanwhile a batch of 40 PHIs are undergoing training in Tamil medium in the North-East provinces.

Under the 180 days programme of the Government, hospitals, dispensaries, wards and quarters were subjected to a development.

The estimated cost for this project was Rs. 1,655 million. The Akkaraipatthu Base Hospital was developed at a cost of Rs. 56 million. The Ashraff Memorial Hospital was renovated with a Rs. 110 million financial contribution from the Health Ministry and Smile, Kalmunai North Base Hospital with Rs. 173.4 million funding of Health Ministry, Save the Children, UNFPA, World Vision, Energy Forum and NECORD.

The estimated cost for the development of Trincomalee district hospital is Rs.170 million.

Under the three year development project the Valachchanai Base Hospital at a cost of Rs. 10 million, Ampara district hospital at a cost of Rs. 8 million, District Hospital Ariyampathi at a cost of 52 million, Central Dispensary Palayadivaddai at a cost of Rs. 52 million, Central Dispensary Kovilporathiv at a cost of Rs. 5 million, Divisional hospital Chenkaladi at a cost of Rs. 12 million, Central Dispensary Thairaimadu at a cost of Rs. 12 million and Kaluwanchchikudi Base Hospital at a cost of Rs.20 million will be developed.

The estimated cost for the development of Batticaloa Teaching hospital is Rs. 945 million.

Plans are afoot to develop the hospitals in Ampara district within two years.

The Ampara District hospital will be developed at a cost of 583 million. Meanwhile the estimated cost to develop the Kantale Base Hospital is Rs. 589 million. A new hospital will be built for Ninthavur with Rs. 200 million funding from the Finnish Red Cross.

The Pottuvil District Hospital too will be developed with Rs. 248 million from the Finnish RC. A new building will be built for the Sammanthurai district Hospital at a cost of Rs. 60 million (Irish Red Cross) while there will be a two storeyed building for the Akkaraipattu Base hospital with Rs. 108 million funding from Irish RC.

Among others being developed are District Hospital Katthankudy, District Hospital Kaluwanchikudi, District Hospital Kallar and Central Dispensary Kathiraveli with Rs. 8 million funding of SLRC and IFRC and Santhiveli Central dispensary with Rs. 8 million of SLRS and IFRC.

In Trincomalee, the Faizal Nagar hospital with Rs. 4.50 million funding of UNICEF, Central dispensary Thiriyaya with Rs. 9 million of International medical Team and Rural Hospital Nilaveli with Rs 20 million funding of Don Bosco have been completed in Trincomalee district under the Neganahira Navodaya programme.

The Social Service and Social Welfare Ministry is also playing a key role in social service activities in the Eastern province. The National Secretariat of Social Service and Social Welfare has donated Rs. 693,000 worth spectacles, Rs. 296,000 worth wheel chairs and Rs. 119,000 worth crutches to Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts.

Agriculture

The Government has launched a massive agricultural development drive in the Eastern province under the Neganahira Navodaya Programme to facilitate the farmers and to increase the agricultural output.

The financial requirement for the coming three years are Rs. 153.8 million, 134.3 million and 44.35 million respectively for 2008, 2009 and 2010 to carry out agricultural development in the Eastern province.

The Government has distributed 64 two wheel tractors under the "Yen grant for Agriculture equipment". The Government has allocated 11,000 metric ton fertiliser to eastern province for 2007/2008 Maha Season. The Government intends to distribute 6,000 metric tons of fertilizer for this Yala Season.

Roads

Director of Road Development and Highways ministry Dhammika Matharaarachchi said the Government has drawn attention on road development in the Eastern province. The Government intends to develop the road network in the province to provide a better public service.

He said that several issues related to road development have been identified so far - insufficient road maintenance, poor connectivity within and to other districts due to the bad condition of roads, delayed road rehabilitation improvement work and poor contribution to the economy due to not having proper infrastructure facilities.

The Periyakallar Causeway, Kodikallar Causeway, Kalkudah-Valachchanai road (4.42 km), Oddamawadi-Vahaneri road (3.0km out of 9.25 km), Padiruppu-Vellaveli road (2.0 km out of 6.03 km) and Valachchanai Nasivanthivu-Navaladi road (2.12 km out of 5.12 km) have been completed so far.

The Periyakallar Causeway, Kodikallar Causeway projects were completed with a grant from Japan. Construction work on Ambilanthurai-Weeramunai road at a cost of Rs. 641 million funded by the Asian Development Bank is now progressing.

The construction work on Maha Oya Chenkaladi road with Rs. 1100 million funding from the Asian Development Bank will commence shortly.

The Oddamavadi bridge will be constructed at a cost of Rs. 380 million with Spanish funds.

Rural roads were improved through Highways and Road Development Ministry, District and divisional Secretaries with the assistance of Local Government Authorities and Provincial councils.

The Highways and Road Development Ministry has implemented several rural road development projects under the Maga Neguma project.