Mannar racing to become a tourist destination

By P. Krishnaswamy

The Mannar district is now a hive of activities with the significant aspects of all targeted development goals already achieved, including the rehabilitation/reconstruction of road networks and railways , provision of livelihood facilities to all agricultural and fisher and the entire civil administration, judicial, health sectors and educational sectors made fully functional, District Secretary, M.Y.S. Desapriya told the Sunday Observer.

Thanthirimale Rajamaha Vihara

The Madhu shrine

The A-14 highway after renovation

The new Mannar bridge under construction

Speaking on fund allocations for the current year ( 2014) and the development projects under implementation, he said that Rs.139 Mn has been allocated under the 'Divi Neguma' program while Rs.50 Mn has been allocated for drought relief programs which include renovation of irrigation tanks and other renovation works.

An amount of Rs. 100 Mn has been allocated for the four-storeyed new Secretariat building, the foundation stone for which will be laid by Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa next month. Rs. 30 Mn has been allocated for establishing two centres for imparting training in the apparel industry. About 500 girls and boys will be imparted with training in the profession and, on completion each trainee will be provided with a sewing machine for engaging in self-employment, the District Secretary said.

In the Malwathuoya flood-prone catchment area a program will be implemented under the auspices of the Ministry of Disaster Management for minimising damages due to floods, he said. Under the program, Rs.26 Mn has been allocated for the construction of a bridge across the Malwathuoya at Punchikulam area. The work on the 49 Km Madawachchiya - Mannar Road will be completed in August next year, he said. Work on restoring the Madhu-Talaimannar railway lines has almost been completed except for a five km stretch since the work on construction of the two bridges has not been completed. In any case the work will be completed before the end of this year and train services will operate up to Talaimannar, he said.

The work on the Puttlam-Silawaththurai-Mannar connecting road will be completed in August next year. A further Rs.50 Mn has been allocated for renovation of irrigation tanks, he said, adding that 5000 acres have already been brought under cultivation for the Maha season. The divisional secretaries are working on a program to increase productivity in the district, he said.

Programs are under way to position the Mannar district as a sustainable tourism destination and the European Union (EU) has already funded to the tune of Rs.2.6 Mn for conducting a feasibility study which is now in literature form, to be implemented at a gradual phase, the DS said. The District would contribute its share towards realising the Government's target of getting 2.5 million tourists by 2016, he said.

A saltern has already been established in Erukkalampiddy and the work on establishing another one at Manthai West is in the initial stages, he said.

A garment factory has already been established in Mannar and foreign investment for starting more projects of this native will be sought through the line ministries, he said. Employment opportunities will be provided to over 1000 persons in the garment factories, he said.

The Mannar coastal area is ideal for generating wind power and the CEB has already installed 50 windmills (turbines) with plans to install more, the DS said.

A technical college for imparting training in five courses will be established in Uyilankulam and land for the project has already been allocated, he said.

Discussions on this matter was held last week. The seed farm at Murungan is fully functional and more paddy stores will be established, he said.

The drainage system in the urban areas will be improved, utilising Rs. 600 Mn out of the total Rs. 1,682 Mn funded by the EU, the DS said.

Director Planning of the Mannar Secretariat furnished the following details with regard to fund allocations for last year (2013) up to end of December and the development works performed:

Under Departmental work funded by the Provincial Specific Development Grant (PSDG) two road development works at an expenditure of Rs.45 Mn and four works on road maintenance at an expenditure of Rs. 3.30 Mn have been completed. Ninety percent of the 15 works under the Northern Roads Connectivity Project funded by the Asian Development Bank and the Government have been completed at a cost of Rs. 1,070 Mn.

Under the CARE project funded by the Asian Development Bank and the GoSL , 90 percent of the five works at a cost of Rs.560 Mn have been completed. Eighty percent of the work on maintenance of all roads funded by the Government has been completed.

Water and sanitation projects have already been completed in Mannar Town, Nanattan and Musali DS Divisions at an expenditure of Rs. 8.82 Mn. The construction of over 20 health facility buildings in the district funded under the PSDG and UNICEF have already been completed. An amount of Rs.981 Mn, released to the CEB by different agencies, was spent for the supply of electricity to different areas of the district. Rs. 122.85 Mn was allocated for development of 4886.7 ha of farm lands in the district.

A total amount of Rs. 1,049.01 Mn on public buildings, infrastructure facilities, roads, water supply, irrigation and other related matters has also been allocated.

In the education sector, all schools that remained non-functional for several years are now functional and five new schools have been established at Marichchakattu, Pichchaivanipakulam, Thampaddamuthali, Vellimalai_Pandaraveli and Anaikadu_Veppankulam.

An amount of Rs.18 Mn funded by the line ministry and the Ministry of Economic Development has been spent on the completion of 36 projects under the 5000 primary schools development program under Mahinda Chinatana -2013. Taking into account the growing demand for trained competent support staff who can provide professional assistance in accounts, arrangements have been made to provide AAT Sri Lanka courses to the O/L, A/L students and other eligible students in the Mannar District. The Mannar District Chamber of Commerce Industrial and Agriculture (MDCCIA) has continued to conduct technical skill development program such as business idea generation to develop young entrepreneurs.

And also it provided training on palmyra handicraft training with the objective of providing employment.

The chamber is also providing loans to their own members for SMEs. Two Garment factories have been completed and they will start functioning soon.

The Employees selection process has already been completed and they are now being provided training.

Ten works under the CARE project (UC roads) at an expenditure of Rs.146 Mn have been completed. More roads are still to be improved by the Road Development Authority (RDA) and the Pradeshiya Sabhas in the district.

The rehabilitation of the Navatkuli - Kerativu - Mannar road (A 032) under the North project is nearing completion. Similarly the Puttlam - Maruchchukaddi - Mannar Road ( B 403) and the Mankulam - Vellankulam Road are also nearing completion.

Under the Pura Neguma Project an amount of Rs.550.05 Mn was allocated for a three year program to the five DS divisions. Sri Lanka Telecom PLC (SLT) has provided PSTN connections with ADSL & PEO TV facilities to many areas in the Mannar district.

An amount of Rs.8,589.90 Mn was allocated under the Consolidated District Annual Implementation Program (CDAIP).

The total amount allocated under CDAIP program for several projects is a staggering Rs.44,730.33 Mn. An amount of Rs.67.23 Mn was allocated for 12 irrigation (provincial) projects and the projects were completed at an expenditure of Rs.51.40 Mn. The funding are from the Northern PC and the Pro-poor Economic Advancement and Community Enhancement Project (PEACE).