‘Jaffna will get lost glory’

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that once the major development work being carried out in the North under the initiative of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is completed, Jaffna will get its lost glory once again.

Minister Rajapaksa gave this promise when he addressed a ceremony to distribute micro credit and essential items among the public in the Jaffna district.

A total of 852 persons received micro loans between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 each, under the livelihood development projects.

The projects were launched by the Northern Co-operatives and Local Government Ministry under the supervision of Northern Governor G A Chandrasiri.

Minister Rajapaksa said that during the last two years, 16,000 persons have received loan facilities under the livelihood project. Another 5,000 will receive loan facilities under the Gemi Diriya project in Jaffna next year, he said.

The minister explaining the background the prompted this loan scheme to be introduced, said that the government has adopted a policy of developing the nation by developing the family and the individuals before the family.

”It is the government’s intention to develop the individuals first, and the through the individuals the family and the country would be developed later. As the government’s contribution to large scale development work, the expressways, airport and seaports, power stations, hospitals are being developed”, the minister said.

“These large scale development projects will help the government to create development in the Northern Province to meet the demands of next five to ten years. Jaffna will get three main highway connectivity, one is the main A 9 highway with six lanes and the second is the A 35 via Sangupiddy and the third will be from the East via Mullaitivu. For the first time, Jaffna district is to be linked with the national grid to ensure 24 hour power supply,” the minister said.

The minister invited the people to be active participants of these development work by supporting the government’s efforts without going behind bankrupt politicians who oppose government’s projects.

Minister Douglas Devananda and Northern Governor G A Chandrasiri also spoke.