Cabinet nod for more projects

Sandasen MARASINGHE

The Cabinet has approved the implementation of the second Community Development and Livelihood Improvement Project with US dollars 75 million, Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said yesterday. He was speaking to the media at the weekly press briefing at the Government Information Department.

The Minister also stated that the decision was reached by the Cabinet in response to a Cabinet memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister.

He said the approval was given to the phase 2 of a program which was designed to accelerate rural development and reducing poverty using a community driven development approach in the poorest regions in Badulla, Moneragala, Hambantota, Ratnapura, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Polonnaruwa districts.

He said the Cabinet has approved for the commencement of business ventures in the Hambantota Port Development Project in response to a Cabinet memorandum submitted by Ports and Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa.

It was decided to develop the Seaport at Hambantota as one of the priority projects in Southern Region under the ‘Mahinda Randora’ infrastructure development program. Business ventures such as cement grinding plant, cement packing plant, fertilizer packing plant, vehicle assembly plant, warehouse complex, operation of LPG plant, operation of RO-RO Terminals, Ship repair facilities etc have been identified for the implementation in phase 1.