Local food cultivation:

Foreign exchange drain curbed - Berty Premalal Dissanayake

By Mohammed NAALIR

Maize cultivation has been successful in the North Central Province (NCP). Over Rs. 7,000 million which was spent on maize imports could be saved. Plans are afoot to promote soya bean cultivation, former North Central Province Chief Minister and Chief Ministerial candidate, Berty Premalal Dissanayake said during an interview with the Sunday Observer.

Q: Can you explain your role to improve the agriculture sector in charge of in the province?

A: Over 80 percent of the population are farmers. The majority of farmers use Mahaweli water for paddy cultivation. A small number of farmers cultivate with the help of rain water. A proper mechanism is required to save rain water. When kings ruled this country, over 5,000 tanks were constructed in this province. The storage capacity has declined considerably because the reservoirs are filled with mud and some are in a dilapidated condition. Paddy is cultivated in nearly 130,000 hectares during the Maha Season.

I took immediate steps to renovate the dilapidated tanks and to remove the mud from reservoirs to supply water during the Maha and Yala seasons. Ponds were constructed in proper areas to save rain water. Farmers in the province benefit from those ponds.

Under my supervision nearly 1,500 tanks were developed in the province in 13 years. Over 45,000 hectares of land have came under the plough in both seasons.

Q: What about maize cultivation in the province?

A: Maize was introduced as an additional crop to paddy to improve the living standards of farmers in the province. We provided enough assistance to farmers who cultivated maize.

Now maize is cultivated in over 100,000 acres in the province. Several rounds of talks have been held with the management of Banks and private institutions to import maize seed and to purchase the product from farmers. Barren land was distributed among farmers to cultivate maize. Technical guidance was given by the Provincial Council while arranging loan facilities. Maize cultivation has played a key role in improving living standard of farmers in the province. The North Central province has also turned into an income generating area.

Plans are afoot to introduce Soya Bean cultivation as an economic crop. The Government spends over Rs. 8,000 million every year on the import of punnakku (food for poultry and dairy and other oil items. Farmers in the province have distributed 150,000 metric tons of soya beans to the market last year. Next year the farmers in the province will be encouraged to cultivate soya in 100,000 acres.

Q: There is an allegation that schools in the province are being closed year by year. As the Provincial education Minister what is your comment?

A: A few schools have been closed but there are so many reasons. As transport facilities have been improved even to remote villages, while the percentage of student movement from village schools to city schools have increased. This is one of the reasons for the closure of certain village schools.

While providing facilities to schools in the cities, village schools are also being developed on the concept of today's children are tomorrow's leaders'. All essential facilities including science laboratories, libraries and agriculture units have been provided to schools. Rural schools have been developed at a cost of over Rs. 15 million.

Nearly 1,400 volunteer teachers who served in the province were made permanent after they completed graduation studies. Solution was found to the teacher shortage in the province appointing graduates and diploma holders who passed out from Colleges of Education. The model and primary schools were developed into equipped schools.

I set up primary schools to fulfill the educational needs of the rural children. With the development of these schools the percentage of grade five scholarship examination candidates have also increased considerably. The school transport service was regulated to provide a satisfactory transport service to students.

Every year the (NCP) council spends over Rs. 600 million on education. Computers were distributed to 100 schools under the Deyata Kirula program. Human and physical resources were developed in the schools.

As a result of improved facilities athletes from the province shone at national level and at international events.

Q: Can you explain about the present state of the health sector in the province?

A: As the provincial health Minister I took steps to minimise congestion at the Anuradhapura General Hospital. I took steps to construct a five storeyed ward complex including a fully equipped cardiology unit.

There were only 200 beds for residential patients at the Anuradhapura General hospital. I increased the number of beds to 1,500. Padaviya, Kebithigollawa and Medawachchiya areas are vulnerable to kidney diseases. A large number of kidney patients have been identified in these areas.

Earlier, kidney patients went to Kandy or Colombo for dialysis. Under my supervision steps were taken to set up a kidney unit and a research unit at the Anuradhapura General hospital and now they are able to seek medical attention here.

The Regional hospitals were developed into Base and General hospitals to provide a satisfactory service to the rural community. Required doctors and staff were appointed to hospitals in the province.

Q: Since 1999 you have been elected twice to the post of Chief Minister. What is the secret?

A: Politicians depend on public service. During my tenure I genuinely served the people. I always considered the genuine requests of people. I never gave false promises.

Q: Sacrificing the cabinet ministerial post, you became the Chief Minister of the NCP. Why did you sacrifice such a position in Parliament?

A: I was appointed Deputy Minister of Industrial Development after the UPFA victory in 1994. Later, I was appointed Cabinet Minister of Social Services in 1997.

I loved my portfolio as it was the only Ministry serving many poor pople. I could serve a large number of people in this country by being the Social Service Minister. During my tenure, I endeavoured to increase the social status of differently-abled people. The NCP was also one of the provinces affected by the LTTE. Eventhough I could serve the country as a Minister, I couldn't share the grievances of the people in my province. So I decided to contest in the NCP election as chief ministerial candidate sacrificing the ministerial post. There were villages in the NCP which suffered LTTE atrocities. Now the people in the province experience the real joy of freedom.

Q: What steps have you taken to promote local consumption of food as against imported food?

A: Most of the imported food items have a negative impact on health. Artificial materials are added to these food items to sweeten it and protect it from perishing.

There is enough nutritious and hygienic foods in the villages. Our parents fed us with the foods like yam, such as Bathala, kurakkan and manioc which were naturally grown and don't need artificial fertiliser. Now our children are not familiar with these food items. The younger generation is crazy with western fast food.

There are enough fruits in the villages. Plans are afoot to promote the consumption of kurakkan flour instead of wheat flour.

Meanwhile steps have been taken promote the consumption of rice to based food items. This promotion has begun Pradeshiya Saba level.Dairy milk distribution centres have been set up in village, cities and at school level. Our aim is to provide one glass of cow's milk to each person daily. Moves are in place to set up a domestic fruit drink factory in the province.

Q: What kind of infrastructure development projects were implemented parallel to the Deyata Kirula exhibition?

A: The Anuradhapura district was developed on a major scale due to the Deyata Kirula exhibition. The main roads in Anuradhapura city and its suburbs were widened and carpeted. I took steps to provide roofing tiles to the houses which were roofed with hay and straw.

A drinking water project was implemented while providing electricity to a large number of houses and computers were given to 100 schools in the district. Livelihood and infrastructure development projects were implemented in the district in the divisional secretariat division level parallel to Deyata Kirula. The Government spent nearly Rs. 20,000 million on these projects.

Q: The Jana Sahana project was launched on your concept. What kinds of services are provided to the public through this project?

A: Jana Sahana is a popular project and provides a good service to the people in the province. The Chief Officers from the political authority, provincial council and the chiefs of government institutions will visit the Divisional Secretariat Divisions and hold a two-day mobile service to identify the problems and to solve them. Land deeds, spectacles, equipment for various welfare societies, sports equipments and wheel chairs for differently-abled people will be provided during the mobile service.