Army recruits 200 youths to agro project

Jayantha de Silva

Two hundred youths have been recruited to the 300 acre Kandakatu Army Agricultural and Livestock Project in the East, Agriculture and Livestock Director Col Buwaneka Gunaratne said.

Out of them, 139 are males and 61 females.

All are between the ages of 18 and 33. Their average monthly income is Rs 35,000. Recruits are civilians on the pay roll of the Army but are entitled to facilities available to an Army volunteer soldier including medical facilities, he said.

The recruits expressed their gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse and the Army for providing them with a job generating a substantial income.

Gunaratne said depending on the success of the pilot project, the Army would decide whether to recruit civilians to similar projects in the near future.

Five tons of both vegetables and cashew are being sold weekly while several varieties including new varieties of paddy are also cultivated here. Apart from that, 100 bottles of milk are also produced daily.