Mahapola Trade Fair begins tomorrow

Irangika Range

The 264th Mahapola Education and Trade Fair will commence on a grand scale from October 14 to October 18 at the Ruhunu Vijayaba Vidyalaya in Beliatta, Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardene said.

Addressing a media briefing in Colombo yesterday, Minister Gunawardene said that the Mahapola Exhibition and Trade Fair which was suspended for the last two years due to LTTE terrorist activities will be resumed with the assistance of the "Tharunyata Hetak" Organization implemented under the "Mahinda Chinthanaya" resurgence program.

"We would utilize the income generated from this year's exhibition for the uplift of school education in the country," he said.

Minister Gunawardene said scholarships have been awarded to 160,000 university students since 1982. Meanwhile, 11,500 students following courses at universities and other higher educational institutions in 2009 were also awarded scholarships.

He said that monthly payments of scholarships have been increased by Rs.500 this year. Rs. 2,550 and Rs. 2,500 is paid for merit scholarship and ordinary scholarship holders respectively using Rs.850 million granted annually by the Treasury.

He said the Mahapola Exhibition and Trade Fair will be expanded to other districts including the North and East in the future.

Several stalls will be vested with the Security Forces while stalls depicting the industrial,health and computer technology aspects of development will also be on display at the exhibition.

A number of stalls will be open at the Ruhunu University to educate and improve the knowledge of schoolchildren on various subjects including IT, agriculture, medicine and engineering while the Tharunyata Hetak Youth Organization will make the youth aware of employment opportunities available in the country.

Meanwhile, trade stalls to provide consumer items at cheaper rates, musical shows and fire work displays will also be a feature.

He said that the Mahapola Trust Fund was initiated by the late Trade Minister Lalith Athulathmudali in 1982 to provide scholarships to under-privileged youth to complete their higher education and enable them to enjoy equal opportunities through the development of facilities for higher education.