Rs. 440 m to uplift Moneragala infrastructure

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The Economic Development Ministry has allocated around Rs.440 million to develop infrastructure facilities in the Moneragala district under the Gama Neguma development programme, said Moneragala District Planning Director Neel Fernando.

Accordingly, they have allocated Rs. 45 million to develop 105 rural roads in the district and reconstruction activities of 50 roads are complete.

In addition, 25 water supply projects, 193 minor road projects, 20 clinics development projects, 622 school sanitation facilities development projects and 181 stationary distributing projects have been inaugurated. They are to distribute school utensils in Moneragala pre- schools.

All these development projects are to be completed in the near future and over 47,800 persons will become beneficiaries of these projects.

Meanwhile, the Economic Development Ministry has allocated around Rs. 100 million under the Divi Neguma development programme to provide seeds and other essential items in farming to farmers in the Moneragala district.

All measures are in place to distribute coconut saplings, fruit plants and minor export crop plants among 47,850 families in the Moneragala district.

Accordingly, the ministry will distribute 97,950 minor export crop plants among these families and each family will receive three plants under this programme.

Cinnamon, pepper, coffee and arecanut plants are to be distributed under the minor export crops category.

Currently, over 119,639 fruit plants such as mango, rambutan, orange, cashew nuts, delum, grapes and lemon have been distributed. At present, over 63,816 coconut saplings have been distributed as well.

In addition, over 18,530 chicks are to be distributed among 1,853 families and each family will receive 10 chicks. Currently, around 13,319 chicks have been distributed and all measures are in place to distribute all other chicks before the end of this year.