Wheels turn for development projects in North

by P. Krishnaswamy

The Northern provincial administration held a series of events last week to mark the implementation of programs, under President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Uthuru Vasanthaya aimed at empowering farmers, fishermen, schoolchildren, sportsmen and youth who were deprived of their rightful opportunities for over two decades due to LTTE terrorism, Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri told the Sunday Observer.

The launch of the Management Scheme for Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDC) was held on Monday at the Weerasingham Hall, Jaffna with Minister Douglas Devananda and the Governor as chief guests. Provincial Chief Secretary A. Sivasamy, Secretary to the Governor S. Rangarajah, Jaffna GA, Emelda Sukumar and Jaffna Mayor Yogeswary Patkunarajah were guests of honour at the well-attended launch of the program. The program is aimed at the overall development of children below five. The key development domains are: cognitive language development, problem solving skills, motor development and socio-emotional interactions, Governor Chandrasiri said. ECDC centres had started functioning in all the five districts of the Northern province even before the official launch, he said.

Fifteen partly renovated houses and 20 fully renovated houses of 50 houses at Ariviyal Nagar in Kilinochchi were presented to the owners on Wednesday and the remaining houses are being renovated, the Governor said. The Excess funds that were available at the end of last year from the Tsunami Fund for the Northern Province were used to buy 100 boats, 100 out-board motors, heavy vehicles, lorries, light vehicles. tractors, water bowsers, tractor bowsers and other equipment for the benefit of farmers and fisherfolk. These will be distributed on March 11 among tsunami-affected farmers and fisherfolk in Mullaitivu, Point Pedro and Mulangavil with the participation of Hambantota District Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa as chief guest , Governor Chandrasiri said.

The Beautification of the historically significant Old Park in Jaffna city and the facelift to the colonial period mansion are being carried out and the public could visit the park in its new surroundings in April/May this year, the Governor said.

Another major program that is currently being launched in the Northern province is the one million home garden program under which home garden plots are selected and the owners are provided facilities to cultivate the right varieties of vegetables according to the soil quality, Governor Chandrasiri said, adding that these programs are being implemented under the guidance of Minister Basil Rajapaksa, the chairman of the Presidential Task Force for Northern Development.