Galle promises boom with economic development

Ishara Mudugamuwa

Socio-economic development of the Galle district has taken a high priority during the past four years. Under the Mahinda Chinthana policy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa now the long neglected Galle district was developing rapidly day by day. The Galle city capital of the Southern Province was badly destroyed by Tsunami. But now the city was completely changed. A number of constructions currently were going on and some were completed. The Galle city has a fresh new look with a beach garden, conservation of the ancient Fort, the reconstruction of the town’s water ways and a face lift being given to the marine drive.

Galle port development project is one of the main constructions currently going on in the Galle town. The government plans to develop the Galle Harbour as a tourist harbour. The port will be constructed to berth 40 craft with sails to attract international sailing enthusiasts. The estimated cost of the Galle Port Development Project is US dollar 170 million. The Japanese Government has granted US$ 135 million to develop the Galle port as a regional port. The Port’s construction work which commenced in December 2008 is scheduled to be completed by mid 2012.

Galle Cricket Stadium was fully destroyed by tsunami and now it was reconstructed and it will further develop to play day and night matches.

In addition to it there are hundreds of development projects currently going on under Maga Neguma, Gama Neguma, Samurdi development program, Dakshina Niwasa Sanwardane Navodaya in the district especially in the rural sector . There is rapid development in education, water supply, power and energy, agriculture, tourisms, infrastructure fields.

The biogas generation project and village level mini hydro-power projects, tea plantation development project to upgrade especially the tea smallholdings that contributes a high percentage to the district’s tea production and entrepreneur development loan scheme mainly aimed at the Small and Medium scale entrepreneurs are some of main projects currently being implemented under the Mahinda Chinthanaya.

Under tea plantation project the government could uplift the productivity of the lowland tea plantation, introducing new tea varieties and agricultural advice to solve problems of tea smallholders.

With the improvements expected in the sector the government could enhance job opportunities for rural people. In this project 700,000 tea plants were given to the smallholders and another 1,050,000 seedling were planted in nurseries. Already a scheme to produce 1,000,000 plants annually is under way.

Under biogas generating project in the rural sector technical advice was given to rural people to make use of material like freely available biomass and cow dung that are used to produce biogas. At the moment the bio gas units producing 8 cubic meters for domestic consumption and units producing 28 cubic meters of biogas for community consumption had been started. Some of the rural hospitals, elders homes and children’s homes are the beneficiaries of the community scheme.

Under the village level hydro power project 27 mini hydro power stations were established and it was expected to

help reduce national electricity consumption by producing alternative sources of generating electricity by using natural resources from villages. The scheme is also aimed at enhancing the economic status of the rural sector while they would also benefit by the use of electricity in their homes.

The government has estimated to spend more than Rs.10 million for these projects. Galle is one of the worst hit districts in tsunami 2004. In addition to the normal development activities a number of mega infrastructure projects have been initiated in Galle district. Under Infrastructure Development the focus will be on many large scale infrastructure development already launched by the Government in spheres such as roads, ports, power generation and irrigation.

Under “Jathika Saviya” attention was drawn to rural development islandwide, especially the “Gama Neguma” concept which gives priority to improving roads, housing, and electricity and livelihood services in the rural sector.

Under 2007-2008 Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma program, 672 homes were built at a cost of 43.2 million rupees.

Infrastructure development project, rehabilitation of irrigation systems, livestock development projects, fruits and vegetables growing projects, road development projects are some main projects launched under Gama Neguma program.

People who live in even the remote villages were provided with water supply projects and electricity. According to the data of the Ceylon Electricity Board electrification level has been increased from 82.5 percent to 92.2 percent in Galle district since 2005. The increase of domestic consumers is 34,525.

Rural electrification extensions under Gama Neguma, Rural electrification schemes implemented using Chinese funds and ADB fund included, new substations constructed to improve village level in rural areas funded by the provincial council. Improvements to existing system using CEB funds included the Karandeniya Grid Substation. The ongoing rural electrification schemes under SIDA funds was implemented successfully.

Completed and ongoing projects during past four years’ period in the Galle district are Greater Galle water supply project phase 1 and 2, kfw Koggala and Ahangama water supply project , kfw Hikkaduwa, Ambalangoda, Balapitiya water supply improvements phase 1 and 2, Udugama Water supply scheme, Replacing Wakwella-Beekka transmission main and Hikkaduwa sewerage project.

There were 225 development projects launched in divisional secretariat level at the cost of Rs. 2,002 million. The government expended more than 200 million rupees on rural roads, domestic electricity supplies, domestic water supplies with the support of RDA, CEB, LECO, NWSDB and INGOs for the sake of resettling an approximately 4,000 families affected by tsunami.

The government expended 150 million rupees for reconstructions of Balapitiya Divisional Secretariat, Ambalangoda Divisional Secretariat, Hikkaduwa Divisional Secretariat and Four Gravets of Galle while proposed to expend further 30 million Rupees for construction of Imaduwa Divisional Secretariat.

Vocational Training Ministry provides training for 2,500 youths annually in Galle district. The Ministry has recently built vocational training centres in Hikkaduwa, Koggala, Ahangama, Neluwa and Niyagama. The estimated cost of the Galle Port Development Project is US dollar 170 million. The Japanese Government has granted US$ 135 million to develop the Galle port as a regional port. The Port’s construction work which commenced in December 2008 is scheduled to be completed by mid 2012.

Galle cricket stadium was fully destroyed by tsunami and now it was reconstructed and it will further develop to play day and night matches.