New era for Nuwara Eliya District

The Nuwara Eliya District, which is renown as little England is an exquisite area that attracts tourists from all over the world. During the past 4 years the government spent Rs. 882.85 million for 2488 rural road development projects in the district

Sri Lanka which is an island of little of over 25,000 sq.km of land space is indeed an earthly paradise consisting of all climatic conditions found in the world. It is rich in all the merits of diverse climatic conditions in zones unique for such environments. The Nuwara Eliya District, which is renown as little England is an exquisite area that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Road Development

The Jathika Saviya and Mega Neguma scheme completed 1446 road development projects during the last 4 years. The amount spent was Rs. 634.29 million. A further 1008 road development projects were implemented at a cost of Rs. 599.69 million through funds allocated under the decentralized budget. Under Estate Road Developement scheme 34 road projects were implemented during the 2 years from 2008-2009. The government spent Rs. 188.50 million for 20 of these projects. Accordingly, during the last 4 years the government spent Rs. 882.85 million for 2488 rural road development projects in the district.

Irrigation Projects

Upper Kotmale Hydro electricity project. Courtesy www.panoramio.com

Similar to road development, the Government gifted several irrigation projects to the Nuwara Eliya district. Under the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme 98 irrigation projects were implemented at a cost of Rs. 5.19 million. Through the decentralized budget the Government spent Rs. 100,000 for one irrigation project in the year 2006. The total number of irrigation projects implemented in the district during the last 4 years was 99 projects with an expenditure of Rs. 5.29 million.

Agricultural Projects

Agriculture is the main employment avenue in the Nuwara Eliya District. During the last four years, the Government implemented 28 projects for development of agriculture in the district. 6 projects were completed at a cost of Rs. 1 million through Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme. During the period from 2006-2009 the government implemented 22 agricultural development projects at a cost of Rs. 1.45 million through decentralized budget funds. The total cost incurred for all these projects amounted to Rs. 2.11 million.

Educational Development

During the last 4 years the Government has implemented 162 projects for educational development in the district. 3 projects at a cost of Rs. 4.5 million were implemented by the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme. Under the decentralized budget funds, the Government implemented 25 projects in the year 2006, 44 projects in 2007, 62 projects in 2008 and 28 projects in 2009. The expenditure incurred for these projects amounted to Rs. 11.58 million. Accordingly, the Government has spent Rs. 12.03 million during the last four years for implementing 162 educational development projects in the district.

Water Schemes

Ongoing road construction

The Government has spent a total sum of Rs. 32.02 million during the last 4 years on water supply schemes in the Nuwara Eliya district. 116 projects were implemented at a cost of Rs. 13.46 million under Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme. Under decentralized budget funds, 170 water supply projects in 2006, 123 projects in 2007, 51 projects in 2008 and 84 projects in 2009 were implemented at a cost of Rs. 18.56 million. Accordingly 544 water supply projects have been implemented in the Nuwara Eliya district during the last 4 years benefiting the people from all over the country.

Housing Projects

Owning a house is the dream of everyone. With this objective in mind the Government implemented 133 housing projects in the 5 Divisional Development Secretariat Divisions of theNuwara Eliya district during the last 4 years. 2 projects were implemented under the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme and 131 projects were implemented with funds provided under the decentralized budget. The Government spent Rs. 5.15 million for these projects. The people resident in these housing units are proud of the benefits they accrued.

Health Development

Health Development is a basic objective of people in a country. There was no period in the history of the Nuwara Eliya district similar to that of last four years which showed a rapid development in the health sector. 31 health development projects were implemented in the district from 2006-2009. 3 projects in the year 2006, 4 projects in 2008 were implemented under Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme at a cost of Rs. 3.37 million. Through funds allocated under the decentralized budget 17 projects in 2006, 1 project in 2007, 4 projects in 2008 and 2 projects in 2009 were implemented at a cost of Rs.2.3 million. Accordingly the Government implemented 31 health development projects in the Nuwara Eliya district at a cost of 5.71 million during the last 4 years.

Power Projects

Small holding agricultural plot

The Government implemented several power supply projects during the last 4 years for the welfare of the people of the Nuwara Eliya who were living in adverse conditions and surrounded by many hills.

The expenditure incurred in this regard was Rs. 44.76 million. 4 power projects in 2006, 13 projects in 2008 and 104 projects in 2009 were implemented under Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme. Through funds allocated under the decentralized budget 44 projects in 2006, 20 projects in 2007, 15 projects in 2008 and 16 projects in 2009 were implemented at a cost of Rs.44.76 million.

Development Projects

The Government has spent Rs. 9.83 million on economic development projects in the district during the last 4 years. 10 projects in 2006, 1 project in 2008 and 402 projects in 2009 were implemented under Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme.

Through funds allocated under the decentralized budget 3 projects in 2006, 4 projects in 2007, 10 projects in 2008 and 6 projects in 2009 were implemented. Developing and encouraging activities in the fields of cultivation, self-employment, small industries, minor export crops-the Government helped the people of the Nuwara Eliya district to raise the living standards and improve their earning capacity. The number of projects implemented in the last four years in the Nuwara Eliya district targeting economic development amounted to 436 projects.

Welfare Projects

The number of projects implemented in the Nuwara Eliya District during the past 4 years for improving the social welfare amounted to 567 projects. 225 projects in 2006, 28 projects in 2007, 139 projects in 2008 and 145 projects in 2009 were implemented under Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme, and through funds allocated under the decentralized budget at a cost of Rs. 51.35 million.

Similarly the Government spent Rs. 45.29 million for another 321 projects in the district during the last 4 years and the envisaged targets of development through these projects have been achieved. Also, there were numerous other projects implemented in the Nuwara Eliya district by the Plan Implementation Ministry, Provincial Council, Local Government Institutions, Special Project Authorities, and other Government institutions during the last 4 years. Rs. 387.9 million in 2007, Rs. 392.7 million in 2008 and Rs. 1141.9 million amounting to a total expenditure of Rs. 1922.5 million was spent on these projects.

A mega construction site

In addition to the numerous aforementioned projects, there were several other projects implemented in the Nuwara Eliya district during the last four years for the welfare of the masses. Among these projects, the expenditure incurred for the 2nd Community Water Supply and Healthcare project amounted to Rs. 398.94 million. This project provided assistance for construction of 3252 latrines. For the Inter-City water supply project the Government will spend an amount of 2933.15 million.

The Kotmale Hydro-Power Project, which was the talk of the country for a long period, is another giant project being implemented by the Government.

The Government has allocated U.S.$ 384 million for this project. The government has approved an amount of Rs. 5000 million for the construction of the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in the Nuwara Eliya district. Work on the Nuwara Eliya Town Development Project estimated to cost Rs. 525 million and the Nuwara-Badulla Highway costing Rs. 500 million were commenced last year and are expected to be completed soon. Also, construction of the Nuwara Eliya District Government Agent Secretariat is being implemented, at a cost of Rs. 406.23 million.

Nuwara Eliya district is on the path to become the leading district in the Central Province due to these gigantic development work and massive projects implemented during the last 4 years since the President assumed power. From the rays of light emanating from these development activities, it is clear that the days of accomplishing the dreams and aspirations of the people of the Nuwara Eliya district are not afar.

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