Abandoned lands in Kalutara to go under the plough

by H.L. Sunil Shantha, Kalutara Spl. Cor.

Steps have been taken to cultivate abandoned paddy lands in the Kalutara district, as a special agricultural project, Kalutara district media centre chief and press officer W.M. Shanthapriya said recently.

A study has revealed that there are approximately 6,000 acres of barren paddy lands throughout the Kalutara district, and during this 'Maha Season' the Kalutara District Asst. Agrarian Services Commissioner, has been instructed to encourage farming community to cultivate at least 2,000 acres of barren paddy lands.

The Economic Development Ministry (EDM) has granted Rs. 76 million and under this program repairing of anicuts, renovating of agrarian-wells and agrarian-roads and, re-building of water ways are to be carried out during this 'Maha' period.

The minor irrigation development project in the Kalutara district will be carried out by Kalutara district Agrarian Services Asst. Commissioner with the co-operation of National Agrarian Development program, with the financial assistance of the Economic Development Ministry, the Kalutara district media centre chief said.

The Agrarian Services Commissioner General hopes to deploy three engineers and several technical officers for this project and the EDM has agreed to grant more financial assistance if the estimated money is insufficient for the project.