Deyata Kirula National Development 2014:

Programme should benefit rural population - Basil

The government will launch the next Deyata Kirula National Development programme in February 2014 in Puttalam, Kurunegala and Kegalle Districts, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the meeting

He said so at a meeting held at the ministry premises recently to plan next year's Deyata Kirula programme. Political leaders, policy planners, ministry secretaries and other senior officials participated in the discussions where the minister said the programme should truly benefit the rural population who are the heirs of development.

Next year's Deyata Kirula will cover 2,731 grama niladhari divisions coming under 57 divisional secretariats in the three districts where the total number of beneficiaries will be 3.2 million. The President has instructed that all work on this to be completed before January 31, 2014.

Under the programme, 42,404 thatched houses are due to be renovated, 44,432 people to be provided with drinking water and power to be supplied to 108,439 houses without electricity.

Spiritual and social development, improvement of livelihood, construction of rural roads and small irrigation systems and opening of maternity clinics will be accomplished under the Gama Neguma programme while infrastructure facilities will be developed under Pura Neguma to increase the Gross National Production two-fold by 2016.

In the area of tourism promotion, officials and people in the 28 electorates of the three districts will be encouraged to develop areas of scenic beauty, build guest houses and lodges, and develop cottage industries.

Deyata Kirula Development Programme Committee Chairman Minister Ranjit Siyambalapitiya, Senior Ministers S. B. Navinna and Tissa Vitharana, Chief Ministers Maheepala Herath and Athula Wijesinghe, Minister Johnston Fernando, ministers of the three districts, MPs, Finance and Plan Implementation Ministry secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundara and others were among those who attended the discussion.