Deduru Oya and Maduru Oya projects to come on stream soon

by P.Krishnaswamy

The Rs.6.7 billion Deduru Oya Reservoir Project in the North-Western Province and the Maduru Oya project in the Eastern Province will be completed in March 2013, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Nimal Siripala de Silva told a media conference Thursday.

While over 25,000 farmer families will benefit directly from the projects nearly 100,000 families in the areas will indirectly benefit, he said. Road networks, other infrastructure, improved transport, better health and educational facilities will be other benefits to the residents of the areas, he said.

These projects and many other reservoir projects launched by the UPFA Government in the recent years are masterly work of the Sri Lankan irrigation engineers and many countries overseas, especially countries in West Africa, have offered them projects in recognition of their skills. They have undertaken these projects, the Minister said.

Irrigation and increased agricultural productivity are top priorities of the government for food security and also because 70 percent of the population consist of farmers.

In the 2013 Budget Rs.40,500 million was allocated for irrigation as against Rs.34,180 million allocated in the 2012 Budget which, again, was almost double the budget allocation for 2011.

The Irrigation Department had achieved its targets in the past years in spite of the many challenges and problems it countered.

Environmental concerns over bio-diversity and the fauna, the long feasibility study process, its approval by the authorities concerned, resettlement of families in the reservoir areas and obtaining the services of surveyors due to their limited availability are major problems, that the irrigation authorities encountered, Minister de Silva said.