Friday May 15, 2026
Friday May 15, 2026
Friday, 15 May 2026 06:55 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved additional compensation payments for families affected by land acquisition linked to the Yan Oya Reservoir, which was developed to strengthen agricultural water supply in the North Central and Eastern regions.
Following earlier Cabinet approval on 18 March 2024 to provide additional compensation in lieu of alternative lands to 614 selected families, authorities have already paid compensation to 540 eligible families identified by the Horowpothana Divisional Secretary.
However, for another 245 families where alternative land allocation is not feasible, additional compensation has now been approved after the Chief Valuer of the Government has assessed the value of 1.5 acres of irrigated paddy land cultivated during both Yala and Maha seasons at Rs. 1.8 million per family.
The reservoir, with a storage capacity of 169 million cubic metres, was constructed to support irrigation for approximately 11,500 acres of paddy land across the Anuradhapura District and Trincomalee District, enabling cultivation during both the Yala and Maha seasons.
Land acquisition for the project has been carried out based on Government valuation procedures, while affected families have been provided with compensation and alternative agricultural lands where possible. So far, 313 alternative paddy land plots have been allocated to families in the Horowpothana Divisional Secretariat Division in Anuradhapura District who lost their cultivable land due to the project.
The proposal to this effect was submitted by Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lalkantha.
The decision is expected to conclude a key component of the resettlement and compensation process associated with the Yan Oya irrigation development, while ensuring affected farming families receive revised financial redress, where land replacement is not possible.
