Through the Pura Neguma project:

Low income local bodies to be upgraded

S.M. Wijayaratne- Kurunegala Daily News Corr.

"The Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils, has taken steps to improve the infrastructural facilities of 108 selected low-income local bodies through the government's Pura Neguma project. A sum of 7,000 million rupees has been allocated for the purpose under the Asian Development Bank Assistance programme," Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Indika Bandaranayake, said at a media conference held recently at the Hettipola Community Centre in the Kurunegala district.

"These selected local bodies should enter into an agreement with the ministry that waste disposal management activities had been performed in a meaningful and productive manner, which then would be convenient to create an environmental friendly atmosphere in the Kurunegala and Puttalam districts of the NWP" the Minister said.

Under the proposed project, compost manure manufacturing plants would be set up. Collecting garbage systematically would be carried out and necessary equipment and machinery would be provided to these selected local bodies in due course, the Minister said.

"The aim of the government is to generate a very healthy and disease-free social background to the people of the country and hence, people's representatives should extend their fullest-cooperation to make these efforts a success, as this ultimately would bring more benefits to the ordinary citizen" the Minister added.