Mobile service for all GN Divisions in K/gala district to solve people's problems :

Deyata Kirula 2014 structures are permanent - Ranjith Siyambalapitiya

By Naalir Jamaldeen

Kuliyapitiya city is dressed up to hold the eighth Deyata Kirula development exhibition under the theme "Asirimath Samayen Isurumath Deshayak". Major construction works are underway in the Wayamba University for the exhibition, which includes the construction of an auditorium, indoor stadium, a Nano-Tech Laboratory and a student centre. Few more permanent buildings are being constructed in the Technical College and Kuliyapitiya Central College for the exhibition. The Government planned to use permanent buildings for Deyata Kirula this year. After the exhibition these buildings will be given to respective education institutions, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told the Sunday Observer.

Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya

He said that 160,000 square feet space is required for the exhibition, 100,000 square feet space can be obtained from the existing buildings of these education institutes. There is a need for 60,000 square feet space. Construction of buildings with the capacity of 60,000 square feet space is now underway. Exhibition will commence after the completion of construction of these buildings. The cost the project is Rs. 750 million.

Minister Siyambalapitiya said that diverse infrastructure and livelihood development projects have been implemented in Kegalle, Kurunegala and Puttalam districts in line with the Deyata Kirula exhibition.

Q: Can you explain the Deyata Kirula exhibition?

A: The first Deyata Kirula exhibition was held at BMICH premises in 2007 and the exhibition was held three years continuously at BMICH premises. After the restoration of peace in the country, they started to hold the Deyata Kirula exhibition out of the Colombo city. Deyata Kirula which was held in Colombo to show that we could go forward while combating turned into an exhibition which accelerate regional development.

Deyata Kirula exhibitions held in Pallekele-Kandy, Buttala-Moneragala, Oyamaduwa-Anuradhapura and Hardy Higher Technical Institute premises-Ampara were clear evidence for it. This year Deyata Kirula exhibition will be held in Kuliyapitiya-Kurunegala giving priority to the development of Kegalle, Kurunegala and Puttalam districts.

The Government made use of the exhibitions to expedite regional development and improve the living standards of underprivileged people in the district where the exhibition was held.

The Government has spent millions of rupees on these projects so far. Now the people in the districts where Deyata Kirula exhibition was held heave a sigh of relief. The Puttalam, Kurunegala and Kegalle districts will be developed in line with the 8th Deyata Kirula exhibition at a cost of Rs. 45,000 million, Rs. 15,000 million to each district.

The main roads in the district which were in a dilapidated condition were developed and carpeted. Solutions for a large number of problems were found in the district which hampered the development of district in line with the Deyata Kirula exhibition held in Buttala. Likewise massive infrastructure and livelihood development projects were implemented in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa districts in line with the 7th Deyata Kirula exhibition which was held in Ampara.

Q: Can you explain diverse development projects being implemented in Kurunegala, Puttalam and Kegalle districts in line with the exhibition?

A: Diverse social service programs have been organised in line with the exhibition. Several mobile service have also been organised to find solution to people's problems. Specially community service programs have been organised targeting the villages in Kurunegala and other two districts. Due to lack of enough knowledge most of the problems of village people are remained unsolved.

Mobile services will help solve the problems of village people.

At least 20 percent of such problems can be solved on the spot. Certain problems will take some more time as they are to be solved according to the rules and regulations of Government.

During the Deyata Kirula exhibition held in Buttala mobile services were held one for each Divisional Secretariat Division. We accompanied officers from Colombo and a large number of problems submitted by the people were solved.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa extended and extends fullest cooperation to successfully carry out mobile services and community service programs. But mobile services will be held in all Grama Niladhari Divisions in each Divisional Secretariat Division In line with the 8th Deyata Kirula exhibition.

Nearly 25 percent of public problems can be solved on the spot. Mobile services will be held this month. We will identify the problems of people and will take steps to solve them immediately depending on the nature of the problem.

The people must make use of the opportunity to get their problems solved. Health camps will also be held in line with the Deyata Kirula exhibition 2014.

Houses in these districts which are covered with coconut leaves will be given permanent roofing sheets. The people who do not have toilets and safe wells will be helped to get their toilets constructed and to construct a safety wall to the well.

Four maternity clinics will be constructed in each Divisional Secretariat Division in these districts. New bus halts and weekly fairs will be constructed at required locations while renovating the existing one. A twenty five kilometre sketch road within each Electorate Divisional will be carpeted.

Each and every Ministry has implemented at least a single project in these districts for Deyata Kirula exhibition 2014. Access roads are being developed at a cost of Rs. 250 million.

Road Development Authority (RDA) is engaged in carpeting main roads and constructing bridges along those roads.

Q: What are moves being taken to improve the information technology skills of these three districts?

A: Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry has taken steps to provide e-Libraries to 100 schools in each district. Ten computers will be given to a small school with a small computer room.

The Government provides all facilities to improve the skills of information technology schooling children and youth.

As done during the Ampara Deyata Kirula exhibition steps have been taken to coordinate well-developed schools in Colombo such as Ananda, Royal Colleges with 100 schools in the Kurunegala district. Then they can learn a lot from the students who are from Colombo. The mutual relationship between village schools and city schools can be developed over such programs.

Q: Can you explain the agriculture and irrigation projects implemented in these districts parallel to Deyata Kirula exhibition?

A: Priority has been given to irrigation sector. Twenty percent of total allocation will be spent for irrigation sector development. Secondly road development. Rs. 5,000 million will be spent for road development.

Q: Are you confident that information technology skills can be increased to 100 percent by 2016?

A: Not to 100 percent. We hope in increase the skills of information technology to 75 percent by 2016. Information Technology skills of this country was four percent in 2005, we could increase it to 35 percent by the end of 2012.

Nenasala were the only means to take the information technology to the village. Now the Government has introduced e-Shilpagara program in addition to Nenasala. Mahindodaya Technical Laboratory program has been implemented for big schools. One thousand schools have been selected for this program.

The Government helps in various ways to improve the information technology skills of this country. Tax reduction has been granted on technical equipment and other accessories. A large computer assembling plant is functional in Hambantota. A large e-park will be set up in Hambantota soon. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has allocated Rs. 1,700 million to set up small e-parks across the country. All these arrangements will help increase the skills of information technology to 75 percent by 2016.

Q: Information technology will be the giant force which dominate the world soon. Can we face this challenge?

A: We can face the rising global challenges in the information technology but we were a little late at the beginning. Providing jobs to graduates has become an issue because we were away from information technology and technology. We still depend on the education system which was introduced by the colonialists. Former Education Minister late Badiudeen Mahmood tried to introduce the technology in the schools. former Education Minister late C W W Kannangara also had such an idea in his mind.

He introduced clay works, carpentry blacksmith work in the schools. The next Government which came to power returned to the education system introduced by colonialists. We will take up the global challenges which has arisen in the information technology. We are ready to go forward with technology.