100 Nenasalas launched to mark President’s anniversary

Wednesday, 19 November 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The inauguration of about 50 out of the new100 Nenasalas (wisdom outlets) scheduled to be opened to mark the anniversary of the ascendancy to the presidency by President Mahinda Rajapaksa took place yesterday (18). The rest will be declared open today (19). The inauguration of these 100 Nenasalas in the days is taking place in line with the instructions of Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

Chief Incumbent of Narahenpita Abhayarama Buddhist Temple Venerable Muruttettuwe Ananda Thero flanked by Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake (right) and on his left by Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa and other distinguished participants observe facilities being used at the newly-inaugurated 900th Nenasala These 100 new Nenasalas represent all the districts island-wide. The Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) hopes to complete the target of setting up 1,000 Nenasalas before the end of the year. In a rare turn of events, the 900th Nenasala in the country was declared open at dawn yesterday (18) by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. Yesterday being the birthday of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, one of the several islandwide religious observances, including the almsgiving to mothers, was held early dawn yesterday at the Narahenpita Abhayarama Buddhist Temple. To coincidence with the 69th birthday celebration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the 900th Nenasala was inaugurated at the Narahenpita Abhayarama Temple subsequent to the said religious observance. Several distinguished personalities participated in the inauguration of the 900th Nenasala. Among those who graced the occasion were Narahenpita Abhayarama Buddhist Temple Chief Incumbent Venerable Muruttettuwe Ananda Thero, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Telecommunication and Information Technology Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, Telecommunication and Information Technology Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Jayarathne, Presidential Secretariat Chief of Staff Gamini S. Senarath, ICTA Strategic Communications and Media Director and Nenasala Program Head Athula Pushpakumara. ICTA says that the setting up of these Nenasalas takes place under the ‘1,000 Nenasala project’ of President Rajapaksa. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s 2014 Access to Learning award for the world’s best Rural Information Technology program was won by Sri Lanka’s Nenasala project. The Nenasala project secured the first place from among 150 projects operative in 110 countries.