WB provides Rs. 5.5 b for rehabilitation

by Anura Maitipe

The World Bank has granted financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 5.5 billion to implement rehabilitation and reconstruction work in areas affected by the tsunami and war in the country, Minister of Re-habilitation, Reconstruction and Estate Development Susantha Punchinilame told the Sunday Observer.

This allocation was made by the World Bank despite efforts by the UNP leadership to thwart financial assistance to Sri Lanka to uplift infrastructure facilities in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces which had been destroyed by separatist war and the tsunami disaster.

In addition to these two Provinces this project will also cover some areas in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Moneragala and the Puttalam districts.

The Government has taken the initiative to complete this project within three years, the Minister said, The Minister also said, over 12,700 families have been displaced in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and most of these families have returned to their ancestral villages during the past few months.

Twenty-four per cent of these people are living on income derived from the fishing industry and the rest on agriculture selling their produce. Now these people need Government support to restart their livelihood.

Housing facilities have been already provided but other infrastructure facilities such as road networks, irrigation systems, electricity and sanitation facilities which had been neglected for the past two decades will have to be restored in the Eastern and the Northern Provinces. All affected families in these areas will benefit by the project.