Development plans for North and East, hill country

by P.Krishnaswamy

The Government will go ahead unhindered with all its development plans for the war-torn North and the East and the hill country plantation areas as envisaged under ‘Mahinda Chinthana’, following the resounding victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the January 26 Presidential Poll, said Susil Premajayantha, UPFA General Secretary and Minister of Education. .

These include plans for the resettlement and comprehensive rehabilitation of the IDPs, provision of infrastructure, livelihood and educational facilities, employment opportunities, avenues for doing their traditional professions and long - term plans for their social welfare and economic prosperity, he said. The plans will also encompass the rehabilitation of ex-LTTE combatants and their return to mainstream life, the Minister said.

President Rajapaksa achieved his historic victory after restoring democracy and communal harmony throughout the country and after ensuring the territorial integrity of the country, he said. In the North and the East, President Rajapaksa polled over 400,000 votes at the January 26 Presidential Poll as against the 200,000 which he polled in the two provinces at the 2005 Presidential Election. He expressed confidence that the UPFA will receive a greater mandate from the people at the Parliamentary Elections to be held in the future.