Huge funding for N-E

Ridma DISSANAYAKE

The government spent Rs 425 billion for North and East reconstruction from 2006 to 2011.

The government has spent a large sum for resettlement, demining, renovate tanks and reconstruction activities in war affected areas since 2006, Economic Development Ministry Additional Secretary Nihal Somaweera said.

A large number of tanks in these provinces, including Yoda Wewa, have been renovated while a number of housing projects have also been implemented.

Ninety five percent of reconstructions activities has already been completed, he said.

“The Indian government and NGOs have also implemented housing programmes. Under these programmes, the Indian government began constructing 49,000 houses of which 43,000 have already been completed,” Somaweera said.

The Economic Development Ministry housing project was implemented in the Northern Province in 2006 and completed in 2011. Around 17,000 houses out of the total had been completed after May 2009, he said. The government has also helped the war affected communities' livelihood and cultivated paddy, vegetables and fruit in a large area.

Measures were also taken to increase milk production in the North and East provinces, Somaweera said.