Rs. 10 t projects in next decade: Champika

• Says light railway, low income housing and waste management key projects for 2019

In the next ten years, the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry has planned projects worth Rs. 10 trillion, Minister Champika Ranawaka said yesterday. 

Minister Champika Ranawaka

Addressing the Ministry staff at the start of the New Year, Ranawaka had noted that 2019 is likely to be a pivotal year, with both elections and high debt repayments converging during the next twelve months. However, he noted that the Government was preparing to meet these challenges, and the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry was focused on attracting investment through its development projects. Chief among these would be the light railway that the Japanese government is funding, he said. 

“The Light Railway system will be a very challenging one. Such massive infrastructure projects usually need decades of planning and implementation. Even during the time of the British, it took them decades to implement the railway system. Therefor this project will be critical to modernise Sri Lanka’s transport system and aid economic activity,” he said. 

He also said that the Government would continue its efforts to provide housing for low-income families. The Rs. 250 billion project to build 50,000 houses would be rolled out in 2019, and the Minister was insistent that it created better living conditions and boosted the economy of underdeveloped urban areas. Ranawaka noted that even though the Treasury had been reluctant to release funds at the start of the project, it has since become one of the largest ventures to provide houses for low-income segments. He also said the Government would provide 5000 houses for middle-income families. 

“We hope to get funding from the Asian Development Bank in the future for this housing project, to make it more sustainable. We will also continue with the waste management projects that were started after the Meethotamulla disaster. It is important that these problems are dealt with and resolved at a national level so that the country can develop,” he said.