Deyata Kirula 2013 national exhibition:

Over Rs 59,387 m for development projects

Dharma Sri Abeyratne

Massive development projects have been implemented in four districts, including Ampara at a cost of Rs 59,387 million to coincide with the Deyata Kirula 2013 national exhibition, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister and Deyata Kirula Exhibition Committee chairman Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

The minister was participating at a media conference jointly organised by the Mass Media and Information Ministry and Government Information Department, at the Ampara District Secretariat office.

The Deyata Kirula 2013 exhibition will be held at the Ampara Hardy Technical Institute and the surrounding area covering 273 acres from February 4 to 11 next year, in line with the Independence Day celebrations.

With the Deyata Kirula exhibition, massive development activities are now underway in the Ampara, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee and Baticaloa districts. Rs 59,387 million has been allocated for these projects parallel to the Deyata Kirula exhibition,

The Minister said the exhibition paves the way for a series of development activities in the four districts, where infrastructure facilities are being upgraded, while generating employment opportunities. Of the allocation, Rs 45,375 million has been allocated only for the development of identified development projects, including road development activities. Accordingly, Rs 3,062 million has been allocated for education sector development, while Rs 1,166 million for health, Rs 22,013 million for road development, Rs 4,064 million for irrigation, Rs 7,208 million for water supply projects, Rs 3,056 million for livelihood development and Rs 4,156 million for electrification projects, including rural electrification. Special attention has been drawn on environment protection with an allocating of Rs 246 million.

The development programme, includes carpeting of several roads and providing water and electricity. Hospitals are being renovated together with adding and improving many other health sector related development activities.

Several water supply schemes, costing Rs 7,208 million and self employment projects for Samurdhi families are among such major development projects. In addition, several pipe borne water schemes benefiting 400 households have been implemented with community participation. Micro finance system has been introduced for Samurdhi recipients for self employment projects . Many dry lands will be irrigated by several small scale irrigation projects. Moreover, a few dilapidated irrigation tanks are being renovated to fulfil the needs of farmer families and to cultivate 850 acres of paddy lands.

Fulfilling a long felt need, the Mahiyangana to Ampara road which is being constructed is due to completed along with other development projects by January 15, 2013.

“On the advice of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Deyata Kirula exhibition is organised annually aiming to strengthen the people and helping them stand on their feet with with pride and confidence, ” Minister Siyambalapitiya said.

Several rural electrification projects are under way. Initiatives are being taken to create a better market for agricultural produce and upgrade the living standards,” District Secretary and Government Agent of Ampara District Neil De Alwis said.

“The issues on the surface for a certain period were identified by the Deyata Kirula exhibition and those are now being addressed. The human-elephant conflict and land disputes are among two key issues faced by people in the Ampara district. Rs 125 million has been allocated to erect a 245 kilometre long electric fence to mitigate the human- elephant conflict,” Alwis said.