Mini Co-op cities for IDPs

Irangika RANGE

The Government will upgrade all regional cooperatives which had been destroyed due to LTTE terrorism, to Mini Co-op Cities in the North, Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardhana said.

Addressing a media-briefing yesterday in Colombo, the Minister said this project will be carried out under the Uthuru Vasanthaya program to provide relief to the people in the North.

The Minister said initial steps have already been taken by the Government to establish markets to provide essential commodities at cheaper rates for the internally displaced people in transit camps in the North.

"We have already set up three Sathosa outlets to facilitate the IDPs enabling them to purchase their essential commodities at low prices," he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has planned to expand Sathosa network upto 10 branches to provide further relief to the people. The Minister said five showrooms will be set up by the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation (STC) in the area while a special program will be arranged by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation to provide essential medicines to the people through the STC showrooms.