Rs 355 million for sacred area development

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Ministry has spent Rs. 355 million for the sacred area development program under the Mahinda Chintana policy and Rs. 575 million for the Nagarika Dilindu Niwasa Arunodaya (housing for urban poor) program, said Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena addressing Ministry staff.

He said under the Nagarika Dilindu Niwasa Arunodaya project, the Ministry could provide houses for 4,460 families who lived in urban areas specially in slums with many difficulties.

This project is now in operation in 18 districts. The President's aim is to uplift the living standards of the people who live in slums by providing houses for them with basic facilities.

"Under the Dilindu Niwasa Arunodaya project we have built 2,273 houses in the Colombo District, 331 in Gampaha District, 117 in Matale District , 162 in Kandy, 405 in Hambantota, 198 in Ampara District, 78 in Nuwara Eliya, 30 in Moneragala, 80 in Badulla, 93 in Ratnapura and 15 in Kegalle.

We have offered these houses to all ethnic groups without discrimination. As the Government is conducting development projects under proper planning we could achieve success.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa always guides us to pay our attention and facilitate all the people in the country without considering their nationality and religion," said the Minister.

He said: "In the last two years we have taken steps to develop Buddhist, Hindu, Islam and Catholic sacred areas in eight provinces. We had to spend Rs.82,756,000 for the Western Province, Rs.80,940,000 for the Central Province, Rs. 37,572,000 for North Western Province, Rs.24,027,000 for North Central Province, Rs.40,000,000 for Uva Province, Rs.13,648,000 for Sabaragamuwa Province, Rs 39,624,000 for Eastern Province and Rs. 25,460,640 for Southern Province sacred area development projects."