Major development plans for North

The Ministry of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs allocated Rs.6,000 million for major high impact development interventions in the Jaffna District, an official said.

As a part of the high impact interventions, the Ministry is implementing 2,565 houses under the owner driven Brick and Mortar modality in the Jaffna District for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and refugee returnees, under the durable solutions programme. This is part of the 10,000 housing programme initiated by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe for the conflict affected communities in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

“The Per unit cost of a house amounts to Rs.1 million and accordingly the budgetary allocation worth Rs.2,565 million for year 2019 has been provided by the Ministry of Resettlement, Rehabilitation and Northern Province Development. Of this, 1,500 houses have been completed and the balance is expected to be completed by the end of September 2019,” Ministry Secretary V. Sivagnanasothy said.

He said Rs.678 million had been provided whereas under Gamperaliya (Rapid Rural Development Programme), Rs.3,000 million has been allocated of which Rs.2,713 million had been released as of August 2019. Under the Rural Infrastructure Development Project (RIDP), 57 projects with an allocation of Rs.336.09 million has been provided.

Under the special Budget proposal, a sum of Rs. 36.4 million has been allocated for the Palmyrah toddy bottling and jaggery production programme, by this Ministry for the establishment of toddy bottling plants, sweet toddy bottling plants and jaggery production plants to increase value added Palmyrah products.

An iconic 12 storey cultural centre which includes an auditorium, museum, display gallery, floating stage, institutional wing with an aesthetic centre is being established in the Jaffna District with a generous grant of Rs. 1,800 million from the Government of India .