'Houses, water and electricity for plantation sector families'

'People from the plantation areas are already enjoying the fruits of the government's development programmes. They will be soon provided with houses, water supply and electricity. Infrastructure for this purpose is now being built, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

He also stated that the government had given priority to uplift the educational level of all schools in these areas by appointing graduates from the plantation sector to the tutorial staff.

Minister Rajapaksa was addressing a meeting held at Hatton on Friday (April 20), to welcome the visiting Indian Opposition Parliamentary delegation led by Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj.

A large gathering was present at the event held at the DKW Hall, presided by Ceylon Workers Congress leader and Minister of Livestock Resources and Rural Community Development Arugmugam Thondaman.

At Dikoya, CWC chairman and Economic Development Deputy Minister Muthtu Sivalingam and other Congress members welcomed the Indian Parliamentary delegation when it arrived at the Darawala playground.

Later, they went on an observation tour of the Darawala and Wanaraja plantation housing complexes. Ministers Basil Rajapaksa and Dullas Alahapperuma and other invitees too participated in the event.

Speaking further, Minister Rajapaksa said that India's assistance to Sri Lanka for building infrastructure in the plantation sector to provide the people with health, education and housing facilities, had been a great strength to the Sri Lankan Government.

The Minister added that the government had already taken steps to improve livestock resources and promote rural community development in these areas.

He observed that the Indian delegation had honoured the people of Indian origin in the plantation sector by visiting them.

He told the visitors that the people had been living as one family with the rest of the Sri Lankans for centuries. According to Minister Rajapaksa, steps have been taken to provide jobs for the graduates in the plantation sector and also provide vocational training to young people in the plantations.

He attributed this to the major transformation taking place in these areas under the Divi Neguma and Gama Neguma programmes.

Minister Arumugam Thondaman, Indian Opposition Leader Sushma Swaraj and Deputy Minister Muthtu Sivalingam also addressed those present, according to a media release.