Kilinochchi, now a nerve centre of activity

By P. Krishnaswamy

The Kilinochchi district which was the main area of LTTE concentration and the nerve centre of terrorist activity, with people's welfare and development activities totally neglected, saw the silver lining of peace and prosperity after Government Forces recaptured the district in January 2009.

In May 2009, the UPFA Government initiated measures to restore the city to its former state. Many accelerated development projects were launched. Huge amounts of funds were allocated by the Ministry of Economic Development, the provincial administration, other line ministries and Local Government bodies for development projects in the spheres of agriculture, infrastructure, road network, industries, housing and livelihood facilities.

The district was mine-infested with mines planted indiscriminately in the district.

A major part of the demining process has already been completed, with only a small area yet to be cleared.

Displaced people have been resettled in areas where they lived in the pre-conflict period. A total of 62,848 anti-personnel mines, 252 anti-tank mines and 214,571 unexploded objects have already been cleared from the mine-infested areas. A five sq. km area is presently under demining and only a 12 sq. km area is yet to be demined.

The details of the different development, infrastructure and livelihood activities so far undertaken and the amounts spent are given below on the basis of details provided by the Government Agent, Kilinochchi.

Reconstruction, renovation

Plants for agricultural promotion distributed

A road under construction

A family engaged in Other Field Crops cultivation

The amount spent for reconstruction of buildings, provision of electricity and renovation of roads rapidly increased from Rs. 69 million in 2009 to Rs. 18,244 million in 2012. For 2010 the amount allocated was Rs. 3,269 million and for 2011 Rs. 7,193 million.

Over 10,1260 houses have been completed at an expenditure of Rs. 8,100 million; 3,671 houses are under construction while the total number of houses still needed is 10,261 which will be constructed in the future. Under the Indian Government's Housing scheme (Stage III) 6,810 houses have already been completed.

Rs. 153 million was spent on livestock development and animal production to overcome malnutrition among the population and to generate income for low income groups. Over 157,674 bushels of seed paddy were distributed among farmers in 2012 and the fertiliser subsidy distributed was 16,382 MT. About 17,159 kg of green gram, 56,440 kg of ground nut, 12,515 kg of black gram and 12,770 kg of cowpea and 73,080 kg of red onion were distributed among farmers for the cultivation of highland crops.

Agricultural products markedly increased from 3,040 MT to 94,300 MT. In these four years the production of highland crops (Other Field Crops) also increased from 1,672 MT to 12,100 MT. Production of fruits rose from 1,170 MT in 2009 to 96,127 MT in 2012. The total acreage under cultivation under these projects is 33,350 acres.

One District General Hospital and one Base Hospital is also functioning in the district. Large amounts of funds have been invested for the renovation and provision of facilities in the District General Hospital and other State medical institutions. Rupees 272 million has been spent for the District General Hospital while Rs. 144 million has been allocated for ongoing projects to the hospital.

Hospital facilities

New facilities at the District General Hospital include pipe medical gas system, strengthening of the sterilisation unit, establishment of the central air-conditioner system and provision of theatre medical equipment.

Rupees 15,294.50 million has been spent for road development and the extent of the roads developed is 371.91 km.

The RDA Paranthan-Puthukudiyiruppu highway has been renovated/reconstructed at an expenditure of Rs. 10,560.50 million.

Over 183 km of rural roads have been renovated at an expenditure of Rs. 3,650 million and RDD roads extending a distance of 56.51 km were renovated at an expenditure of Rs. 1,084 million. Rs. 1,084 million has been allocated collectively by the Ministry of Economic Development (Conflict Affected Regional Emergency Project), the Ministry of Local Government and the Provincial Council (PSDG) for 16 rural roads projects. Forty percent of the work has been completed.

Forty-nine rural electricity projects have already been completed at an expenditure of Rs. 623 million. Work on 10 electricity schemes are in progress for which an amount of Rs. 271 million has been allocated while 42 schemes at an expenditure of Rs. 584 million are also to be undertaken during the period 2013-2016.

Grid substation and transmission lines have been established at an expenditure of Rs. 3,200 million to ensure an uninterrupted power supply, enhanced living standards, and the introduction of more industries.

The total expenditure incurred on water supply and sanitation development projects is Rs. 22,985 million of which the amount spent for the major Jaffna-Kilinochchi Water Supply project is Rs. 21,717 million, the amount spent for the rehabilitation of the Kilinochchi water supply scheme is Rs. 982 million, the amount spent for the improvement of community-based rural water supply and sanitation in post-conflict areas is Rs. 268 million and the amount spent on the construction of the Kallaru water supply scheme is Rs. 18 million.

The number of cooperative societies in existence in 2009 was 91 and this was increased to 121 in 2012 after strengthening the existing ones and starting 30 new cooperative societies.

These include Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies, Palmyrah Resource Cooperative Societies, Secondary Cooperative Societies, Fisheries Cooperative Societies, Thrift and Credit Cooperative Societies and Livestock Breeders' Cooperative Societies. An amount of Rs. 176.83 million was allocated for the construction of buildings for cooperative societies.

University buildings

The work on the construction of the building for housing the Engineering and Agricultural Faculties of the Jaffna University has been partly completed. Work on the construction of the building for the Sri Lanka - German Technical College (Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development) also has been partly completed. At the Pachchilaipalli village 100 toilets were constructed at an expenditure of Rs. 10 million and a social care centre was constructed at an expenditure of Rs. 1.2 million.

Over 126 disabled persons received Rs. 3,000 every month and another 246 disabled persons received equipment.

The question of allocating funds for establishing a Central Bus Stand and CTO is also under consideration. Rs. 200 million has been allocated for the construction of a building for the public library.

Vehicles abandoned by the people who fled to safeguard their lives at the peak of confrontations remained heaped at the vehicle yard and were given back to the rightful owners. Over 2,271 motorbikes and nearly 5,500 other vehicles were given to the owners under this program. Infrastructure development at Ponnagary GN Division which is an important educational and industrial hub was also focused on with the provision of road network, water supply, drainage and power supply.

Under the program for strengthening and upgrading local democratic institutions, the Karachchi Pradeshiya Sabha is to be upgraded as an Urban Council and a new Pradeshiya Sabha for Kandawalai is to be established. The relevant papers have already been forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils. Investments have been made for imparting training to unemployed youth in an effort to help them to engage in small-scale industries and self-employment ventures.

Rs. 1.90 million has been spent for providing training to 87 youth under the Star Garments training program. Rs. 12.70 million has been spent for imparting bus driver training to 96 youth and Rs. 0.02 million has been invested for palmyrah-leaf-based training to 20 youths.