Ministry spearheads 120 projects to mark Deyata Kirula

The Economic Development Ministry will commission a number of development projects covering agriculture, irrigation, education, health, drinking water and power supply completed at a cost of Rs 10,625 million in the Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts parallel to the Deyata Kirula National Exhibition 2013 which will be held in Ampara from March 23 to 29.

The theme of the exhibition is ‘Wonder of the Rising Sun.’

This year’s exhibition will showcase the Economic Development Ministry’s projects to strengthen the Divineguma National programme in the areas of agriculture, live stock, fisheries, marketing and services, at a cost of Rs 88 million.

Work on building 1,000 rooms in the Pasikuda tourism region and 100 rooms in the Kuchchuweli tourism region is nearing completion through private sector investments.

The construction of a tourist rest and recuperation centre in the vicinity of the Maha Oya hot water springs by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and improving the facilities of the historic Lahugala Temple are also part of the programme.

The ministry and SLTDA hope to generate additional sources of income for the people via publicity for the rest and recuperation centers. The SLTDA is also planning to compile a record of little-known places of tourist interest and publish it in book form. Plans are also underway to handover 1,224 houses in 52 divisional secretariat areas in the Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Ampara districts, being built under the Diriya Piyasa Housing Scheme at a cost of Rs 60 million.

Under the Re-awakening Project, 40 tanks and five sluices destroyed in the war, and canals, bridges and main roads are being rebuilt at a cost of Rs 878 million.

Houses and local council buildings are being constructed under the Pura Neguma programme at a cost of Rs 433 million. Rs 47 million has been spent on drinking water projects in the North and East, both of which have been facing an acute drinking water problem.

These have generated additional income for the people. The second stage of developing drinking water supply projects will be under the second Community Development and Livelihood Improvement Project. Buildings for Divineguma Banks, new associations, houses of women employed abroad, supplying power to houses without electricity, providing credit facilities under Divineguma Isura and concreting by ways and lanes are among the many projects activated parallel to the Deyata Kirula exhibition.

The total number of projects the Economic Development Ministry has undertaken is 120.

The ministry’s exhibition stall have been constructed on the ground floor of a new building coming up at the premises of the Hardy Higher Technical Institute, Ampara in connection with the Deyata Kirula National exhibition.

After the exhibition, the stall will be converted to a hostel for Hardy students. The exhibition will include a number of stalls to inform visitors on raising the living standards of self-employed persons.