Promoting brotherhood

Minister Basil Rajapaksa initiates Rs.1.1 billion project to coincide with the President’s swearing-in

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa seems set on giving his brother’s second term a fresh boost with a Rs. 1.1 billion development project, which will coincide with the swearing-in ceremony of the President.

The project, titled ‘One Action Plan for One Village,’ will commence on 19 November and will concentrate predominantly on Gampaha. It will include 1,194 projects in 1,177 Grama Niladhari divisions and will cost Rs. 1,177 million.

According to a press release issued by the Economic Development Ministry, these projects will cover rural roads, minor irrigation activity, restructuring of canals, rehabilitation of tanks, buildings for primary schools and sanitary facilities.

The project will also be utilised for reconstruction of public buildings in villages, extension of electricity and water supply schemes, completion of water schemes, building bridges and canals, upgrading medical centres and rehabilitating railway stations.

The extensive project will include 1,082 roads, minor bridges and canals, 65 new buildings and rehabilitation work, 38 low lying slopes, nine community water schemes and a railway signal unit. To complement the balance projects, a number of roads will be constructed on concrete structures and existing roads will be carpeted.

“Of these projects, 265 have been fully completed while initial work on 929 others has also been completed,” the statement said.