"More lands in dry zone should be brought under plough"

Ariyapala Wansathilake, Kurunegala Central Special Correspondent

Sri Lanka has wide variations in soil and climate. Cereals, Legumes and other food crops are cultivated in 6.5 million hectares. In 1.0 million hectares there are crops such as tea, rubber and coconut.

About 75 percent of the land in the wet zone is cultivated, but in the dry zone with 4.5 million hectares, only about 2 million hectares are in productive use, said minister of Irrigation and Water Management Chamal Rajapaksa when he visited Hiriyala Hakwatuno oya scheme recently.

The Minister was accompanied by the Minister of Coconut Development Salinda Disanayake and several Administrative Officers in the ministry.

He pointed out that there are about two million hectares of fertile land in the dry zone of Sri Lanka. Most of the dry zone lands are more fertile than those in the wet zone.

Coconut Development Minister Salinda Disanayake said, "Most coconut land owners face many problems and he intends to set up a coconut land Development Authority to minimise their problems "Palm oil is a great threat to our coconut industry. I plan to introduce the SLS certificate for coconut oil."

He said large extents of coconut lands are available in Sri Lanka, but import palm oil. This is mainly due to the absence of a national policy to protect the coconut industry.

He said, there are 13 tanks in Hiriyala electorate. Farmers in our area are facing a lot of problems without water to irrigate their fields. Our duty is to repair these tanks for the farmers.

Ruining the country is a very easy task, but what is difficult is to develop and improve the ruined economy of the country.

Rs. 100 m to provide cold storage facilities

Ariyapala Wansathilake, Kurunegala Central Special Correspondent

The Government will allocate Rs. 100 million to set up cold storage facilities and milk collection centres at provincial level, said the Minister of Livestock Development C. B. Ratnayake at Maspotha Eswedduma Milk Collection Centre recently.

He said: "We spend around Rs. 30 billion for milk powder, sugar and wheat flour. Under the 'Krushi Navodaya' program the government will also grant loans at eight per cent interest and encourage local milk production.

We will provide loans at concessionary rates for the import of milching cows, development of animal husbandary and to set up small and medium milk processing centres throughout the country" he said.

Minister of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Jayaratne Herath said: "Why do we import foodstuffs from foreign countries, we have a fertile soil, water and the climate to grow any foodcrops in our beautiful motherland.

This land cannot be allowed to continue to be barron and unfurtile, he said. He said the aim of the government is to achieve self-sufficiency in food by cultivating every inch of land in the country.

He said that as a government which knows the pulse of the people and know their aspirations, they fully understood the need to alleviate the consumers' burdens.

Massive developments in South

by P. P. G. Sugathadasa - Thihagoda Group Correspondent

A massive development program is underway in the division of Kirinda- Puhulwella Pradeshiya Sabha area.

Under the project the top priority has been accorded for the promotion of infrastructure development said Sanath Hettiarachchi (PA) Chairman Kirinda Puhulwella Pradeshiya Sabha.

He was speaking at the monthly meeting of the Sabha held in its auditorium recently. Construction, reconstruction, renovation and widening of the network of roads within the Kirinda town setting up a permanent police post, a branch of the People's Bank are also envisaged Kirinda Puhulwella Pradeshiya Sabha project Chairman Hettiarachchi told the members of the Sabha.

He also emphasized the urgent need to improve the standard of health of the residents in the division. With that objective in view an office of the Divisional Director of Health for the Kirinda-Puhulwella division was started recently.

Work on the Jana Sabha office in the division of Walakanda West has already been completed. Water and Sanitation projects are underway in seven grama Niladari Divisions Chairman Hettiarachchi said.

Vice Chairman Shantha Rajapaksa (PA) said that within a short period of time the Sabha has made significant progress and development in the area. The Puwakgahahena-Thippalahena road has been concreted at a cost of nearly Rs. 20.2 million.

Plans are afoot to construct a well equipped public library near this Sabha. A block of land 10 perches in extent is to be donated by a philanthropist he said. Reconstruction and rehabilitation activities on Kongalaara and Ellewala area irrigation schemes are underway, he said.

Members Asoka Wickramamasinghe (PA) and S. W. Pathinayake (UNP) also spoke.