Yalpanam Dairy Ltd in Kilinochchi

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA In Kilinochchi

The government and the state sector has taken numerous measures in providing livelihood to improve living standards of the people in the North and the East in the past two years.

In supplementing these efforts, Bank of Ceylon has joined hands with Cargills Ceylon Limited to set up Yalpanam Dairy Limited in Killinochchi.

The country is recording rapid economic progress and it is important to equally distribute the benefits among the provinces. The peace dividend should be enjoyed by the North and East and the provinces should play a major role in main stream economic development, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.

The most important challenge of restoring normalcy has been achieved already and the need of the hour is to accelerated development to elevate living standards' this was stated at the foundation laying ceremony of the Yalpanam Dairy Limited held in Killinochchi.

We need to ensure that people in these two provinces are gainfully employed. The financial facilities such as funding by way of loans should be given to ensure work continues. We are keen to see development reach all people and projects of this nature has far reaching benefits, he said. The Bank of Ceylon has acquired land to provide facilities in setting up the company and has entered an agreement with Cargills to purchase the products. The Yalpanam Dairy Limited will set up a collection centre and a processing plant shortly to facilitate collection and storage, Bank of Ceylon Chairman Dr. Gamini Wickramasinghe said.

Projects of this nature will provide more opportunities to generate money.

We need to ensure that there are no more distress areas in the country and working towards this goal for five years.

We have taken up the challenge to provide new opportunities to enable the North and East to join in development with the rest of the country, he said.

This initiative will support the government's efforts to make the country self sufficient in milk products and measures will be taken to assure the success of the project by providing necessary facilities.

The project will also promote organic farming and home gardening as Cargills will buy the products Dr. Wickramasinghe said.