Rs. 8 b for electrification projects in North Central Province

With the aim of providing electricity to all by the year 2012 and ensuring 100% electricity coverage in the North Central Province, the Ministry of Power and Energy under the guidance of Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka has allocated Rs. 8000 million for the electrification projects in the North Central Province. 

When Minister Ranawaka assumed duties as the Minister of Power and Energy electricity coverage in the country stood at 75% which has now been developed to 87%. Concurrent to “Vidulamu Lanka” initiative, Colombo, Hambantota and Gampaha Districts have achieved 100% electricity coverage while the minister has drawn up plans to ensure the rest of the country achieves 100% coverage by the year 2012. The CEB has already begun work in this regard. 

Under this initiative and on the instructions of the Minister a “Vidulamu Lanka” project office was established in the North Central Province. Parallel to the electrification projects for Poson programmes in Anuradhapura the Vidulamu Lanka project office was handed over to the public by the Minister recently. 

This Vidulamu Lanka project office will be instrumental in providing electricity to the people in the North Central Province who have thus far been without electricity. In keeping with this goal Rs. 8000 million has been allocated for the construction of 5500 transformers. Furthermore under the instructions of Minister Ranawaka several mobile electricity services together with many consumer welfare projects were held in the North Central Province.