Five years of development - Kurunegala district:

Ushering in prosperity

by Shirajiv Sirimane in Kurunegala

The Micro car factory in Kurunegala

The renovated lake in Kurunegala

A hospital under construction

Minister T. B. Ekananyake

The North, East development aimed at ushering in prosperity to a community battered by a 30-year war is one of the priorities of the government. Billions of rupees have been allocated to meet this objective.

Kurunegala is one transit points of this development drive.

Kurunegala famed as the rock city of Sri Lanka over looking the Ethagala rock is rapidly being transformed into a modern city.

Being a central city in Sri Lanka Kurunegala is directly connected to a large number of major cities and towns is the island such as Colombo, Kandy, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Negombo, Anuradhapura and Kegalle.

One of the first development initiatives undertaken by the government was to convert the dilapidated central bus stand to one of Sri Lanka’s most efficient and modern bus stands.

With parking space for around 200 buses the bus stand is the pride of the city and helps connect several districts such as Colombo, the Katunayake Free Trade Zone and the North and the East much to the praise of passengers which patronise the Central Bus Stand.

The hospital was upgraded with theatres and beds discouraging patients to seek treatment from Kandy or Colombo hospitals.

To serve the public better a modern four-storied hospital complex is being constructed at a cost Rs. 1,723 million with the assistance from Australia.

This hospital will provide health facilities to 1.4 million people in the Kurunegala area.

A new building complex, maternity wards, a cancer treatment unit, a cardiology unit and other health facilities will be included in this hospital, increasing the capacity of the hospital to 2,700 beds. It will also provide specialist services for all ailments.

An underground passage constructed at a cost of Rs.43 million to travel to the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital is now a reality. Funds for the project have been allocated by the Ministry of Highways and Road Development under the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Road development in the area

The underground passage consists of four rooms for pharmaceuticals and other needs of the patients.

The new underground passage will provide facilities to all pedestrians who seek medical treatment from the hospital, as the main road runs parallel to the hospital.

Kurunegala contributes the largest share of foreign remittance to the country from housemaids working in the Gulf region.

Due to this one could see a construction boom and a skilled labour force in demand.

The government has launched an agricultural development program in Kurunegala, in collaboration with the Provincial Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Irrigation, Animal Husbandry and Livestock Development.

This program covering 121 Grama Niladhari Divisions, under the purview of the regional Pradeshiya Sabhas will be completed within three years (2009-2012) at an estimated cost of Rs.35.1 million.

The project includes around 30,000 families in Kurunegala.

Over 80 percent of the population depend on agriculture for their livehood.

Minister of Regional Infrastructure Development, S. B. Navinna said that the government hopes to improve the drinking water facilities and provide electricity to more households.

“My next plan is to re-establish the neglected industries in the Kurunegala district.

I request the public servants to assist in implementing programs of the UPFA Government for the benefit” he said.

According to the Minister of Highways T. B. Ekanayake, Kurunegala soon will have all its main access roads leading to the city. “We have already complete over 85 percent, of the work” he said.

The Minister said that in addition the roads leading to Kandy and Puttalam and the North and the East are being developed.

A mega development project covering the Yapahuwa electorate is now in progress giving priority to the agricultural development programs in the area.

This development project includes several spheres including the promotion, initiation and development of business enterprises, small industries, tourism and agricultural exports which have traditional links with the culture and social background of the Kurunegala District.

“The main objective of this project is to generate revenues for the people of the area while providing employment opportunities which could vastly contribute to eliminate the unemployment problem while providing job opportunities especially for the youth.”

The government has launched a massive agricultural development program covering 121 Grama Niladhari Divisions, under the purview of the regional Pradeshiya Sabhas.

This will be completed within two years at an estimated cost of Rs.35.1 million.

The project envisages improving the marketing facilities for agricultural produce of over 30,000 farming families by constructing bridges to facilitate transportation to the main markets and sell them at competitive prices, and also assist buyers to visit these villages, to purchase produce at competitive prices.

Over 1,200 development projects are being implemented in the Kurunegala district at a cost Rs. 491 million.

He said that the government will win the election and would continue the development drive that is currently being expedited.

Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, who is also contesting from the Kurunegala district said that a Chinese investment delegation from Ningbo, Cixi Province is contemplating at setting up a investment zone for Chinese investors, in the Kurunegala district.

The Minister also hopes to fast-track the development work after the elections.

Sri Lanka’s only car manufacturer, Micro also selected Kurunegala to set up the factory and youth working here get high salaries.

In addition several hotels and housing development projects are being implemented by the private sector. The Welagedara stadium too is being upgraded.