Batticaloa on the road to prosperity

By P. Krishnaswamy

While the opening of the Manmunaithurai bridge by President Mahinda Rajapaksa last month marked an important milestone in the accelerated development activities for the Batticaloa district, the already completed mega development projects during the years 2009 - 2013 and others in progress from the beginning of this year, would transform the once terrorism-ravaged district to a prosperous region, offering enhanced livelihood facilities and socio-economic development to its 600,000 inhabitants, government sources said.

There has been a marked improvement in the standard of living and income levels of the large number of families who have been living below poverty line, unable to engage in any professional activities or economic activities due to the long drawn out battle against terrorism and restrictions imposed on them by the LTTE, the sources said.

The fear psychosis widely prevailing among them due to the LTTE terror regime and the ethnic clashes perpetrated by them are tragic memories of a by-gone era and the people are now living in an atmosphere of brotherhood and happiness, engaging themselves in livelihood and economic activities under the development projects implemented by the Government, the sources said.

Railway station

A housing scheme in Batticaloa

The new bus terminal

The Batticaloa Hospital

Clock tower roundabout

With maximum facilities extended by the Government in agricultural sector , there has been a marked increase in agricultural productivity and the agricultural families of the 1,000 villages of the district have been provided marketing facilities as well, the sources said. Programs to uplift educational and health facilities to them have been implemented on an unprecedented level while the Ministry of Economic Development has also launched specific programs for their economic development in par with the national development, the sources said.

The vast infrastructure works on road networks already completed include express ways, roads to agricultural areas, fisheries areas, villages and areas under the jurisdiction of the local authorities.

The allocation for the current year to improve the road network in Manmunai North, Kaththankudy, Manmunaipatru, Manmunai West, Eravur Town and Eravurpatru is Rs.208 million, according to the Batticaloa secretariat. Rs.137 million has been allocated to the Kalkudah area for improving road networks in Koralaipatru North, Koralaipatru South, Koralaipatru West, Koralaipatruy Central and Koralaipatru Eravur. Rs.168 million has been allocated for the Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) areas of Manmunai South, Eruvilpatru, Porativupatru and Manmunai Southwest in the Pattiruppu region. Rs.345 million has been allocated for the 345 GS divisions under the 'one program for one village'. Under the 'Dilvi Neguma' program, Rs.60 million has been allocated at the rate Rs.20 million for each constituency.

Around Rs.90 million has been allocated at the rate of Rs.30 million for each constituency for the construction/ rehabilitation of rural roads and bridges.

For improving sanitary facilities in schools a total of Rs.18 million has been allocated at the rate of Rs.06 million for each constituency.

Several development projects were completed in the recent years encompassing vast sectors including, roads and bridges, irrigation, agriculture, fisheries, livelihood, shelter, education, health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and tourism.

The total amount allocated spent is a staggering Rs.54,837.39 miilion. About 58 % percent of it was on roads and bridges, 26

percent on shelter, 8.5 percent on agriculture, 04 percent on education ,0.5 percent on tourism and 0.2 percent on fisheries. Road network having received the largest allocation, 936 Km roads were rehabilitated and 33 small/medium bridges were reconstructed.

Consequently areas which had limited access facilities during the conflict period, now have been connected to all villages, towns and all parts of the country.

Roads and bridges linking Chenkalady - Karadiyanaru , Batticaloa - Kokkadicholai and Oddamavady - Vaharai are important landmarks.

These have contributed to improved marketing facilities to the villagers, increased resource availability and less time and transportation cost. In the agricultural sector , 277 irrigation tanks and channels have been rehabilitated, resulting in the extent of cultivation increasing to 98% from 60 % and doubling agricultural productivity from 59,227 Mt to 102,366 Mt.