Devolution necessary to uplift economy

Irangika RANGE in Batticaloa

Devolution of power was necessary for the uplift of the economy among all groups of people and the government was totally committed to provide infrastructure and other facilities like education and health to the people of all provinces, said Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa addressing the function to launch the first rail-bus service between Batticaloa and Trincomalee at Batticaloa yesterday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa who liberated the country from the LTTE terrorists after three decades was totally committed to strengthen democracy giving power to the people under the Mahinda Chintana policy program.

A new Lanka Puthra Bank was opened in Batticaloa today to develop the agriculture, fisheries and livestock development sectors of the East, he said.

The Government of India had always been a source of strength for not only to the people of the East but for the whole country.

People of Sri Lanka would never forget the assistance given by India. We would continue to strengthen the friendly ties enjoyed at present, he noted.

Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad speaking at the event said this rail-bus service was an excellent example of the relations between the two countries. The Indian government had gifted ten buses costing 66 million rupees after fruitful discussions with the Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma and Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa. Even in India rail bus service of this nature was not yet implemented and this services would vastly benefit the people of the East.

The rail-bus service was a remarkable transport system that would benefit the people of the East and the system was invented by the present General Manager of the Railway Department C.P. Wijesekara and his team of officials. In India though there were about 5,000 trains running a rail-bus service has still not been started.

Therefore, it was a great pride for Sri Lanka to start this service. Another rail-bus service from Gal Oya to Batticaloa and yet another service from Gal Oya to Trincomalee would also be started soon. For the first time in the history of railway, 600 railway employees would be sent to India for training, Minister of Transport Dullas Alahapperuma said.