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| Sunday, 5 June 2005 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Development in East apace The rapid expansion of development activities in the Eastern province will doubtless render significant results to the people. The aftermath of the tsunami has enhanced the pace of development. Compared to Western Province, the women's illiteracy rate in the East has escalated from 14% to 17% whilst the per capita income stagnates at Rs. 2908 as against Rs. 5990/- in the Western province. Unlike in the Western province the prospects for education, employment and income generation are much limited in the East. This dismal situation in the East could be attributed to the horrors inflicted by the 20-year-old ethnic war as well as the recent tsunami calamity. Over 1,000 kilometres of the coastal belt from Western province down to the East were devastated by the tsunami waves; Over 4,000 people have disappeared," around 55,000 families were completely dislocated, let alone the monumental damage suffered by the infrastructure. An expensive reconstruction & rehabilitation programme has to be undertaken to guarantee a new lease of life to the people. Addiction to liquor, prevalence of un-settled conditions among the children, incidence of early marriages and increase of school-leaving population are some of the social problems confronting the refugees in temporary camps. To meet the contingencies and provide relief to the tsunami-affected population, the programme launched by the Economic & Human Development Centre under its Director is commendable. Educational & economic leadership training, self-employment, training programmes, credit & savings schemes, awareness on human rights, water supply projects, community public health services & peace initiatives are some of the projects that fall under the jurisdiction of this organisation. |
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