Islandwide programme to develop 210 rural bridges:

Rural bridges in Kegalle upgraded

Villages underdeveloped before President Mahinda Rajapaksa came to office are now provided with almost the same facilities as in urban areas due to development programmes such as Gama Neguma, Maga Neguma and One-task-for-one village launched in accordance with the Mahinda Chinthanaya manifesto. The manifesto is based on life in rural areas where 75 percent of the population live, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

He said so addressing five meetings recently to mark the launch of upgrading rural bridges in the Kegalle District under the ministry's islandwide programme to develop 210 rural bridges linking villages with towns.

The meetings were held at Ruwanwella, Galigamuwa, Mawanella, Aranayaka and Rambukkana. He ceremonially launched work on new bridges at Moraliya, Pitagaldeniya, Alakegama, Thammita and Pahalarambe.

Minister Rajapaksa said the President is determined to see that in future, rural people would not have to face difficulties which he himself experienced in his younger days in the villages. Hence, the government has taken steps to provide houses with access roads and ensure water and power supply.

These plans based on the Mahinda Chinthanaya, were drawn up after discussions with intellectuals, religious leaders, ministers, parliamentarians and the people, according to the minister.

He said these plans, which included Gama Neguma, met the specific needs of the country. The lack of proper facilities adversely affected the rural population and those who lived in plantation areas. The bridges which imperialists built to transport goods were in a dilapidated state due to being neglected causing much difficulty for the people in remote areas.

According to the minister, 14 pontoon bridges were used in the old days to reach Kumbukkan Oya from Yang Oya. Today, there are no signs that there was such an era.

When the village is developed, the villagers' quality of life too improves, the minister said. When proper roads and bridges are built, people will want to buy vehicles. All this will lead to the strengthening of the rural economy, he said.

Senior Minister Athauda Seneviratne, Sabaragamuwa Chief Minister Maheepala Herath, Telecommunications, Information and Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Deputy Health Minister Lalith Dissanayake, Kegalle District Parliamentarians Kanaka Herath and Y P Padmasiri, Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Dr Parakrama Athauda, Kegalle District Secretary Thusitha Wanigasinghe, government officials and a large number of people from the Ruwanwella, Galigamuwa, Mawanella, Aranayaka and Rambukkana Divisional Secretariat areas were present at the meetings.