Due to national leadership:

Revolutionary change in district development work

District development work which was progressing at snail’s pace in the past because the then national leadership rarely visited the districts and officials laid out plans from their ivory towers in the city, has now undergone a revolutionary change because the national leadership is contributing towards it by playing an active role.

This is because President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself is attending District Development Committee meetings held in the provinces and is taking an active part in reviewing the progress attained and identifies problems and obstacles and finds instant solutions to them, states Additional Director General of Government Information Chandrapala Liyanage in a message to mark the President’s participation

in the next Kalutara District Development Committee meeting.

The message said the President’s participation along with the political leadership of the district has prodded officials to take an active part in promoting development work by constantly monitoring their progress.

The message said the total population of Kalutara district is 1,066,239. The total number of people suffering from abject poverty amounted to 20 percent of its total population in 2002.

The fisheries industry, coconut and rubber industries are the mainstay of the people’s economy while there is a tourist industry centred in Bentota, Aluthgama and Wadduwa areas.

The government has to provide roads, health, housing facilities and school buildings apart from catering to the education and the needs of teachers and provide food security to cater to the needs of the people.

The Kalutara district is now proceeding towards a new development direction under the tenure of the present government.

Land in extent of 3,044 acres were provided with irrigation facilities under minor irrigation works between 2006 and 2009.Another 58 projects were also completed under irrigation development. 3,384 projects have been completed at a cost of Rs 1,534.2 million under Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma programme during the 2006-2010 period.

Another 21,675 projects were completed under the Samurdhi programme and 2,289 projects under the Budget scheme. Vast development has also been achieved in the Janasevana housing and road development sectors. The government has also paid attention towards accelerating the Kalu Ganga flood protection scheme.