Holistic development path laid - Wimal

A road map for holistic development has been laid by the government, said Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

Minister Weerawansa made these observations at a meeting after opening the Janasevana Viru Gammanaya (War Heroes' Village) at Sridharanpura Mahawilawatta in Ganga Ihala, Kandy on Tuesday.

The minister said the country is enjoying development dividends under the auspices of the government. "A development programme encompassing all regions and villages is underway. The government did not prune the public service. Instead, the public service which had 800,000 personnel was increased to 1.2 million personnel today," Weerawansa said.

"The North and South are exchanging their produce without hindrance with the country registering an 8.3 percent economic growth. The agriculture sector has been making the biggest contribution to economic growth according to Central Bank reports," the minister said.

Minister Weerawansa said the Opposition Leader during his recent visit to the Jaffna residence of late LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had alleged that the government had done nothing for the development of the North. The Opposition Leader would have had to obtain a visa to visit Prabhakaran's home if the CFA signed by him was in operation today, he said.

The minister said that if the situation experienced during the CFA persisted today, Sri Lanka would have been similar to Cyprus with two separate states divided by a no fly zone and the two states trading missile barrages against each other.

He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Defence Secretary and the Security Forces and Police had jointly saved the country from such an eventuality by defeating terrorism and restoring peace. The President by continuing the war to a conclusion has accomplished a task which evaded other Presidents, the minister said.

He said the new housing scheme with 111 houses was completed within eight months.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said the Mahawilawatta Viru Gammanaya was the first housing project launched in the Kandy district under the Janasevana programme. He said the NHDA earlier concentrated on building flats in Colombo and today, it has extended its activities to rural areas.

Provincial Council member Ananda Aluthgamage, Nawalapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Nishantha Ranasinghe, Kandy GA Gamini Seneviratne and other officials were also present.