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| Sunday, 20 February 2005 |
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Transforming estates into villages by M. P. Muttiah
An action program streamlining the activities of the Ministry of Estate Housing, is to be implemented shortly. The move aims to transform estates into villages with a view to bringing the plantation community to the mainstream of national life. Muththu Sivalingam, Minister of Estate Housing, Infrastructure and Community Development commenting of the action programme said that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga had acceded to the request of late CWC leader S. Thondaman and established this Ministry in 1997, to make the plantation community equal partners in the economic prosperity of the country. At the beginning, the Ministry had had no programme and the focus had been to satisfy the immediate needs of the plantation community. After the takeover of estates by Janata Estate Development Board (JEDB), infrastructure, such as line-rooms, hospitals, roads and electrification had been neglected. Last year all development work of the plantation community was brought under one Ministry effectively placing the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT), which had been responsible for social development, health and housing, since its establishment 10 years ago, under the Ministry of Estate Housing, Infrastructure and Community Development. "Since all aspects of socio-economic, cultural development are now under a single ministry, it expedites the needs of the plantation community", said Sivalingam. He said that as a majority of countries in the world, including Vietnam, have developed their own tea and rubber industries, it may adversely affect the export of tea in the future, therefore it was necessary to sustain the plantation community, by transforming estates into villages. With this in mind, the Ministry was in the process of drawing a short and long-term plans and streamlining its functions. "A three-year plan will be implemented to construct 50,000 houses and fulfil the dream of President Kumaratunga of abolishing line-rooms that have existed since colonial times", he said, explaining that the President had fully supported bids to obtain foreign assistance to introduce low-cost housing technology, and that Rs. 225 million had been allocated for this purpose. About 700 houses would be built under the scheme, each costing Rs. 330,000. The design of the two-storeyed houses built in the past,had been altered. Assistance A Self-Help Housing Programme would be implemented, with the assistance of the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA). Loans recovered by the NHDA would be utilised for constructing these houses. Under the SHHP, half the cost of Rs. 120,000, would be given as aid, the balance would be loans granted by the NHDA. The Minister said that if the cost was low, more houses would be built. The Minister also said that about 70 electrification schemes would be implemented at a cost of one million rupees, and that Rs. 100 million had been set aside for future schemes in Moneragala, Badulla and other plantation areas. Electricity would be provided to estates on a priority basis. Access roads to estates would also be developed at a cost of Rs. 100 million. The construction cost of a kilometre of road, is estimated to be Rs. 1 million. The roads, thus developed, would be handed over to the Pradeshiya Sabhas for future maintenance. "Water supply schemes too would be constructed at a cost of Rs.40 million. Fifty-one hospitals in the estates have been identified for amalgamation with the national network and 18 of them have already been taken over, the Minister said adding that he has had fruitful discussions with the Health Ministry on the opening of dispensaries in the estates. "The Ministry would also provide infrastructure facilities, such as quarters to medical personnel and mortuaries at a cost of Rs. 39 million, he added. There had been positive responses from the Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Udarata Development, on the opening of 451 sub-post offices linking group of estates, and appointment of peons who would deliver letters straight to the addressees. At present, the letters are delivered by the estate management. The Minister said that 145 buildings were available for the opening of sub-post offices. Agency post offices were a failure in the plantations, and thus the need had risen to open sub-post offices. "The Minister also said that there were discussions with the Public Administration and Management Reform Minister, Amarasiri Dodangoda, to appoint about 2,500 Liaison Officers to assist the plantation community, (about 1.5 million), to conduct their day-to-day activities in Tamil. Meanwhile, 270 estate schools would be upgraded with the assistance of SIDA. Already 420 schools have been developed, but their maintenance had been neglected. SIDA had provided the ministry with 700 million rupees to develop estate schools. This is the biggest project of the ministry. A Cabinet Memorandum had been submitted to appoint 3,179 trainee- teachers to the plantation sector.``This development program would help gradual transformation of estates into villages", he said. |
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