GOVT. TO START DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IMMEDIATELY
The government has decided to start work on several highway projects immediately, key state officials informed Divisional Secretaries yesterday.
Accordingly work on the Central Highway which connects Colombo and Kandy and then extends towards Dambulla and the extension of Southern Highway towards Beliatte will begin immediately. In addition the work of the circular road which had already begun would be expedited.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who chaired a meeting with the divisional secretaries at Temple Tress said all other major development projects would begin after the elections. Mr. Wickremesinghe said the government would also give priority to rural roads and funds would be allocated for such work. He said the government’s policy was to carry out development work through divisional secretaries. He said funds would be allocated for them to carry out development work. However they were requested not to spend these funds to make outstanding payments for old projects. Mr. Wickremesinghe and the Ministers present at the meeting assured that a separate arrangement would be made to make these outstanding payments.
It was transpired at this meeting that issues pertaining to development were different from district to district and it was decided to do an analysis so that a methodology of dealing with the issues could be designed. One of the major issues highlighted by divisional secretaries was the settlement of the outstanding payments due to the contractors for the work completed.
It was also decided to expedite the motor bike distribution programme and to rectify shortcomings in the paddy purchasing program.
Ministers Joseph Michael Perera, Kabir Hashim, Ravi Karunanayake and Deputy Minister Dr. Harsha De Silva were present at the meeting.