Water resource management, development top on Assistance Strategy agenda -WB Country Director

The World Bank has formulated a new Assistance Strategy for Sri Lanka in consultation with the Government. The Assistance Strategy holds high in its agenda Water Resource Management and Development as they are central to sustainable growth and poverty reduction especially in the regions lagging behind on development, Naoko Ishii, World Bank Country Director, Sri Lanka said.

She was speaking at the opening ceremony of water supply scheme implemented under the second community Water Supply and Sanitation Project at Wegala, yesterday.

“The excellent partnership formed among yourselves was the key to the successful implementation of this project. I would like to congratulate the community members on your contribution to this scheme. It is an outstanding achievement that 30 per cent of the cost of the scheme in the form of cash and labour came from you,” she said.

“I am also pleased to hear that the high performing Pradeshiya Sabha in Wegala has played a critical role in the successful implementation of this project. In doing so the Pradeshiya Sabha strengthened linkages between communities and has laid a very good foundation for being the bulwark the community will look for guidance in its operations and maintenance,” Ishii said.

“This scheme is undoubtedly one of the most unique ones implemented under the second Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project. Here we had three Grama Niladhari Divisions, namely, Wegala, Meegahmadiththa and Doraliyadda South working together, to find one solution to meet their pressing need for the vital resource water,” she said.

“Now that you have met the first challenge successfully in getting water on tap, the next challenge for you is to work together on the operations and maintenance of this vital resource.