Government aims to achieve self-sufficiency in food crops - Minister Rajapaksa

The Government's aim is to achieve self-suffiency in food crops and to that end the government will do our utmost to uplift agriculture, Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said.

He was speaking at a ceremony to launch the Wari Saubhagya tabloid paper and Wari Saubhagya internet edition at Lake House on Wednesday (19).

The Wari Sawbhagya tabloid paper is issued with the Dinamina newspaper on a monthly basis and its web edition goes to the internet simultaneously. The Wari Saubhagya tabloid paper is published by the Government Relations Department (GRD) of Lake House.

Addressing the launching event Minister Rajapaksa said the launching of the tabloid paper and the web edition is a fruitful measure to educate people about agriculture, irrigation, water management, new technologies and many more.

He added that the government has placed the entire country on a rapid irrigation sector development track. Accordingly a number of irrigation projects are being carried out countrywide aiming to provide water for the two seasons. He said that there was a huge scarcity of water before 1994 when he initiated the construction of Maw Ara reservoir.

State Minister Siripala Gamplath said that paddy farmers receive a highest price ever for their production now. The President’s main concern is to provide enough water for the two seasons without any scarcity.

Lake House Chairman W. Dayaratne PC said that it is significant that the Lake House as the leader in print media could assist the forward march of the Irrigation Department including a massive project of renovating 5,000 tanks.

Lake House Director Editorial Dharmasri Kariyawasam said that the launch makes a better opportunity to make people aware on the development drive of the government especially in the irrigation sector.

He said that Lake House has passed a most difficult period during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Anyhow now the organisation has come to certain stable situation and paid two months bonus to every employee. Unlike most other government institutions, Lake House does not receive any financial support from the Treasury.

“Lake House made a Rs. 200 million profit last year despite Lake House having to manage all its expenses and make profit as well,” he said.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Secretary to the Irrigation Minister Ivan Silva and many other officials of the Irrigation Ministry and State Ministries under it were present on the occasion.