Record funds for district development

*Rs 65,000 m for 20 districts

*Colombo to get Rs 3,290 m

The Economic Development Ministry has allocated Rs 65,000 million for development activities in 20 districts this year. This is the biggest allocation made for district development in recent history, said the Government Information Department yesterday in a press release.

The release said the allocation made district-wise is - Colombo Rs 3,290.1 million, Kalutara Rs 3,078.3 million, Gampaha Rs 4,915.2 million, Ratnapura Rs 3,791 million, Kegalle Rs 4,079.5 million, Kurunegala Rs 5,239.5 million, Puttalam Rs 2,985.5 million, Galle Rs 4,365.6 million, Matara Rs 3,672.3 million, Polonnaruwa Rs 2,537.9 million, Anuradhapura Rs 3,993.4 million, Matale Rs 2,295 million, Kandy Rs 5,296.5 million, Nuwara Eliya Rs 1,511.1 million, Badulla Rs 4,123.3 million, Moneragala Rs 2,979.9 million, Hambantota Rs 2,156.6 million, Trincomalee Rs 1,641.2 million, Batticaloa Rs 2,163.9 million and Ampara Rs 1,774.1 million.

Apart from this, the ministry has launched nine Provincial Development projects in addition to the pivotal 'Uthuru Vasanthaya' and 'Negenahira Navodaya' programmes. They are the Ruhunu Udanaya, Sabaragamu Arunodaya, Wayamba Pubuduwa, Kandurata Udanaya, Pubudamu Wellassa, Rajarata Navodaya and the Batahira Ran Aruna programme covering Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha districts.

Divineguma, Samurdhi road carpeting, improvement of sanitary facilities in schools and setting up of maternity clinics are other supplementary programmes launched to promote natural development. Through these programmes the government hoped to increase the country's per capita income to 4,000 US dollars by 2013 and 7,500 to 10,000 US dollars by 2,025, the release said.