Rural bridges to benefit 300,000 people in Badulla

Wednesday, 13 August 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Work on a number of rural bridges out of a total of 10 under construction in the Badulla District are already nearing completion under the program to build 1,210 bridges country-wide for linking villages with towns and cities, launched under Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s direction.

These rural bridges coming up in 11 Divisional Secretariat areas in nine electorates in the Badulla District will help to improve the economic conditions of nearly 300,000 people, according to Badulla District Secretary Rohana Disanayaka. Badulla District’s total population is 811,758 comprising 239,463 families in 567 Grama Seva Divisions. The district consists of 1,991 villages where 59,273 families – Divi Neguma beneficiaries – live. The program introduced in accordance with the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ vision is activated in island wide. These steel bridges have been built without arches so that they can withstand natural disasters resulting from climatic changes. Since 75% of the country’s population live in rural areas, Minister Rajapaksa has expressed confidence that these bridges would help strengthen the rural economy and raise the living standards of villagers. He added that roads built under the Maga Neguma Program have helped to increase productivity and improve the incomes of the rural population. This is seen especially in the agricultural and plantation sectors, according to him. The bridges will also greatly benefit ordinary commuters and school children. These rural bridges are being constructed under the guidance of Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Dilan Perera and Laksman Senevirathna, former Chief Minister Shashindra Rajapaksha, Parliamentarians Chamika Buddhadasa, Udith Lokubandara, Rohana Pushpakumara and Thenuka Vidanagamage and Badulla District Secretary Rohana Disanayaka.