Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic development was the chief guest of the 63th Annual general Meeting of All Ceylon young men’s Muslim association conference held at BMICH on 16^th June.

Senior Minister A.H.M. Fauzi, Attorney General  Palitha Fernando,K.N deen, National President- All Ceylon YMMA Conference, Mr. Razmara Abdeen, National General secretary All Ceylon YMMA Conference also participated at this occasion. The convention honored the ‘Y’ personality of the year with Senior Journalist Latheef  Farook and Zam Gem Chairman Z.A.M. Rifai being feted this year around.

All Ceylon YMMA Conference primarily is a Youth and Youth serving Community based Organization. During the course of the last 63 years it has served the Muslim community and the country in numerous ways by promoting activities in every field of endeavor while contributing to the building of a healthy, vigorous and intelligent youth movement. The All Ceylon YMMA Conference is an incorporated body by Act of Parliament No.31 of 1968 and is an approved charity. It is the premier national Muslim youth serving organisation with 102 member YMMAs spread throughout the country.
Although YMMAs existed since 1915 in Sri Lanka, it was only in 1950 that 18 member YMMAs were brought together under one umbrella known as the All Ceylon YMMA Conference by its founder late Dr. A.M.A. Azeez and was the first President of the  conference. The YMMA conducts many activities such as socio-economic projects, education scholarships, leadership training, sports and recreation, relief and rehabilitation in times of national disasters, promotion of IT and the English language, environment and health projects, anti drug projects, national integration projects, religious and cultural activities and advocacy the role of community for last 63 years. (MEDm/E137/D153)

(Pix’s by Sudath Nishantha)

Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad  of Bharathiya Janatha Party(BJP) of India stated that he witnessed  the mega development that is taking place in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka and that he will make the Government and the people of India aware of the high level of  development process being carried out without racial prejudice. He further stated that his team will make a maximum effort to erase the misconception  created among the Indians as a result of certain misinterpretations  made on Sri Lanka. He was of the opinion that it is imperative that  more stronger  and uninterrupted economic co-operation is maintained between Sri Lanka and India.

These sentiments were expressed  by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad him when a team of representatives from the Bharathiya Janatha Party headed by him met Minister of Economic Development, Basil Rajapaksa in their visit to Sri Lanka during the June second week.  The delegation comprised of  Shri Suresh Prabhu, Shri Swapan  Dasguptha, Shri Vivek  Katju, Monica Arora and Shri Madhav Varanasi.

The Bharathiya Janatha Party was of the opinion that the Governments alone could not do away with these misrepresentations of facts, but it has to be a combined effort by the people  and  the social groups of both the countries. The BJP representatives   expressed the view that people of both countries have to make a combined effort to ensure that economic, political and cultural relations  between the two countries which have been in existence from ancient times are   continued without hindrance.  There is no ambiguity with regard to the development efforts taking place in the North  and East of Sri Lanka. Certain movements against Sri Lanka launched in India  are carried out by a small section of the Indians  in which the whole of India  has no hand, the group emphasized.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa recalled the co-operation extended by India at all times  in the process of development efforts implemented by  the Government of Sri Lanka  after the cessation of hostilities. He stated that India was instrumental in implementing a number of projects covering  De-mining, Agriculture, Irrigation, Housing,  school buildings and Railways.

Minister of Economic Development further stated that a host of development projects were implemented by the Government of Sri Lanka as well  for the benefit of the people of the North and the Sri Lanka Government   has always  taken steps to ensure that everybody is treated equally. Parallel to the development efforts, action has been taken also  to hold elections at every level in the Northern Region .  The Government of Sri Lanka will ensure a free and fair  Provincial election in the North and special legal provision has been made enabling all of them to exercise their franchise without hindrance.

Minister Rajapaksa pointed out that several Tamil media organizations including several Tamil Newspapers and TV Channels  are in operation in the North and the East  since the cessation of hostilities which amply  demonstrates  Government of Sri Lanka’s intention of affording Tamil Community with   access to information.

He added that majority of Investors engaged in Investment Projects in Sri Lanka are Indians and the majority of tourists is also from India. He regretted the efforts of certain interested  sections to  make misrepresentations, disregarding the positive relationship existing between the two countries. (MEDm/E136/D152)

(Pixs by Dharshana Karunarathna)

Economic Development Minister, Basil Rajapaksa opines that Sri Lanka has become one of the best countries for Investment since it can now boasts of a peaceful environment and  a strong political stabilization after the cessation of hostilities which prevailed for over 30 years.

Sri Lanka is the one country in South Asia which provides electricity round the clock in 365 days of the year, he added, which enables the factories also  to run without hindrance every hour and every day of the year.

Minister  Rajapaksa thus  stated at a meeting he had with the delegation of  South Korean Trade Representatives, headed by Jun Tek Shin who were on a visit to Sri Lanka to explore the Investment Opportunities. Economic Development Minister explained  that Sri Lanka’s natural geography and environment are most suitable for investment purposes and most comprehensive rules and regulations with regard to the environment are in force. Sri Lanka also has a devoted and skilled labour force.

The Minister  Rajapaksa  also revealed that several higher level investment projects are being implemented by South Korea and investment opportunities are available in the fields such as  electricity, motor mechanism, fashions, medicine, ship repairs  etc. He further stated that there is a high international  demand for  apparels  produced in Sri Lanka, which are mostly exported to Europe ,Asia and Japan and revealed that investment opportunities are in existence in this field as well. He drew the attention of the Korean delegation to the construction of  trade complexes and convention centers for tourists. (MEDm/E135/D151)

(Pixs by Dharshana Karunarathna)

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has stressed the need for people’s participation in the Deyata Kirula 2014 National Development programme. The government’s stance is that there can be no development without people’s participation.

The Minister Rajapaksa said this yesterday while attending 10 meetings held to brief public representatives, government officials and community leaders of 20 Divisional Secretariat areas belonging to the Ruwanwella, Yatiyanota and Galigamuwa Electorates in the Kegalle District and Yapahuwa, Nikaweratiya, Panduwasnuwara, Galgamuwa and Bingiriya Electorates in the Kurunegala District  on next year’s Deyata Kirula programme.  A large number of people attended the two-day briefing held June 8-9.

He further said that a total of 2,731 mobile services will be held with the participation of Government Officials in the Kurunegala, Puttalam and Kegalle Districts under the Deyata Kirula programme next month to address community needs.  Of this number 1,610 will be held in the Kurunegala District, 573 in the Kegalle District 548 in the Puttalam District.

Next year’s Deyata Kirula programme will come into effect 2,731 Grama Niladhari Divisions of 57 Divisional Secretariat areas in the Puttalam, Kurunegala and Kegalle Districts. The number of beneficiaries in the three districts will be 3.2 million.   The 2731 Deyata Kirula mobile services commencing next month will register persons, issue forms to apply for birth, marriage and death certificates and elders’ identity cards, do field studies for providing public amenities in villages, set up medical clinics and resolve problems relating to land permits among other issues.  The programme will cover every village. Both the State and private sectors will participate in launching projects and providing services.

Chairman, Deyata Kirula Development Committee, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Ranjit Siyambalapitiya said that the people of Kurunegala, Puttalam and Kegalle were fortunate that they have been able to benefit from the guidance and leadership of Minister Basil Rajapaksa who is spearheading the country’s development campaign.

Ministers Professor Tissa Vitharana, Attorney Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, T.B. Ekanayaka, Johnston Fernando and Deputy Ministers Indika Bandaranayake, H.R. Mithrapala and MPs Y.P. Padmasiri ,Tharanath Basnayake and Provincial Minister Sri Lal Wickremasinghe were among the large crowd that attended the meeting. Government Agents and other officials too participated. (MEDm/E133/D149)

(Pixs by Thusitha Chandakumara)

Big onion imports to Sri Lanka will stop by 2015 when the island becomes self sufficient in big onions, according to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.  The self-sufficiency programme will help the country save Rs. 6000 million in foreign-exchange spent annually on importing 200,000 metric tons of big onions.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa said this at a meeting held at his ministry office in connection with the setting up of a task force for making the country self sufficient in potatoes, big onions and red onions. Senior Minister S.B. Navinna, Agricultural Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister Reginald Cooray and high-ranking Government Officials participated in the discussion.

The Economic Development Minister said that cultivators should be encouraged and motivated to grow these food items and   added that the country is already self-sufficient in sorghum, paddy and ulundu.

He recalled that in the past imperialists had destroyed paddy cultivation in order to break will power of the people.  The present government had today revived it and made the country self-sufficient.

Sri Lanka’s annual potato requirement is 130,000 metric tons.  Of this amount 40 percent is locally produced while 60 percent is imported.   Of the country’s requirement of red onions 93 percent is locally grown. Since the end of the anti-terrorist war red onion cultivation had gone up rapidly.  In the Trincomalee District 11,772 metric tons of red onions were grown in 981 hectares in 2012 whereas only 3077 metric tons of red onions were grown in 280 hectares in the same district in 2006.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that all ministries should jointly work towards making the country self-sufficient in rice, big onions, red onions and potatoes.  He called for extending the land area for big onion and potato cultivation and the introduction of special methods to raise production levels to get better yields per hectare.  He also drew attention to the need for (1) selecting the best districts for such cultivations (2), raising the level of seed production (3) expanding storage facilities (4) identifying problems linked to marketing (5) paying the cultivator a reasonable price for his products and (6) also giving relief to the consumer.

Potato cultivation had declined in the past since farmers had begun to give it up due to the lack of a reasonable price for their products, the discussion revealed.  The need for stopping potato imports to revive the local cultivation was stressed at the meeting.

A group of government high officials in Pakistan has arrived to Sri Lanka with regards to foreign training and experience for them, met Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development on  last Wednesday (05^th ).

Arna Baloj, Deputy High commissioner of Pakistan, B. Wijerathne, Director of Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration, and several other officials including deputy Director of Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration participated for this event.

(Pix by Darshana Karunarathna)

Minister Basil Rajapaksa has said that the Government would meet the electricity requirements of all Districts within the next three years. The Minister made this reference launching work on many projects under the Deyata Kirula programme.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa laid the foundation stone for the construction of the new Karadana Bridge this morning. It will link the Northwestern and the Sabaragamuwa Provinces.

The bridge prevailing across the Ma Oya was built by the British in the year 1869. It is now 144 years old. The allocation made by the Ministry of Ports for the project is 250 million rupees. The new bridge will be 250 metres long while its width will be 7.4 metres. There will be four lanes in addition to two pedestrian lanes. It is intended to complete the work on the bridge and vested it in the public before the end of next year.

In parallel to this event, Minister Basil Rajapaksa also joined in the laying of a foundation stone for a new building of the Polgahawala Pradeshiya Sabha under the Deyata Kirula Development programme. It is expected to cost 450 million rupees. Thereafter addressing a meeting held at the Polgahawala Pradeshiya Sabha premises, the Minister said that the President during his recent tour of China succeeded in securing financial assistance needed for the construction of the Colombo-North Express Highway.

The Minister said that one hundred percent of electricity has already been provided to five Districts. Action is being initiated to grant electricity to all villages of the rest of the Districts within the next two to three years. He revealed that electricity will be provided to 100 percent to these three Districts before the end of this year under the Deyata Kirula programme. He emphasized that Deyata Kirula Development programme for the year 2014 will be launched in these three districts soliciting the views of the people, the village, the local councils and the Provincial Councils.

Ministers Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, S.B. Nawinna and Jayaratne Herath, Deputy Minister Indika Bandaranayake, Parliamentarians Shantha Bandara and Kanaka Herath and Chief Ministers Athula Wijesinghe and Mahipala Herath were among those present on the occasion.

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(pix by Thilak Indika)

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully meets Minister Basil Rajapaksa to further strengthen the existing relations between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

The two Ministers discussed at length on the friendly and state ties prevailing between Sri Lanka and New Zealand for a long period. Both of them took cognizance of further solidifying economic, investment, tourism and trade activities expanding the existing relations. The New Zealand Minister pointed out that action would be taken to provide the necessary advice and know how for the construction of an international level modern dairy farm of high standard.
New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully also said his country expected to expand export and investment opportunities.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa apprised the New Zealand Minister of the development that is taking place in the North and East. He also briefed on the massive programme launched by the Government to consolidate the security in these Provinces and upgrade the livelihoods. Mr. Rajapakse did not forget to express his gratitude to all international organizations which support this process of the Government. New Zealand High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Averil J Henderson was among those present at this meeting.

(pix by Darshana Karunarathne)

Sri Lanka Telecom Rainbow Pages launched two directories to promote tourism. The new publications will be made available free of charge in each and every room of all major hotels in the country . SLT chairman Nimal Welgama hands over the publications to Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksha at the Hilton Colombo, held on 2^nd of June.

(Pix by Asanka Liyadipitiya)

Minister Rajapaksa declares this in Kurunegala, participating for making aware the Government officials and public representative in divisional level regarding Deyata Kirula, 2014.

Minister Basil Rajpaksa ,  declared that Deyata Kirula is not only a exhibition but also a national development programme that provides massive contribution for people and massive development in Kurunegala, Kegalle and Puttalam districts will be carried out under 8^th Deyata Kirila to be held in year 2014.

Minister declared this participating for ceremony held on 1^st of June at Welagedara ground in Kurunegala, so as to make aware divisional level government officials and public representatives in Kurunegala district.

Minister, Basil Rajpaksa made aware officials concerning the manner of implementing Deyata Kirula, 2014 by carry out projects that provide more services by identifying the successful programmes in Deyata Kirula, 2013 and thereby avoiding the deficiencies occurred in previous year.

While there is a population of 1.6 million  in Kurunegala district, land extent belongs to the district is 4624 km². This district comprises of 1616 Grama Seva Divisions and, 439,000 families live here. Number of Samurdhi beneficiary families is 152,000. Whilst paddy and coconut are the main agricultural crop, land Extend of Paddy fields expected to be cultivated is 11,115 hectares. Number of person occupied in overseas employments is 35,106.

Awareness programme for officers Grama Seva level and public representative regarding Deyata Kirula 2014, proposed to be held on next 8 to 16 and 2731 Grama seva division are belong to 3 Districts and arrangement have been made to hold mobile meeting of enforcing people from July 1^st up to mid of September. Minister said priority will be giving to three facts solving issues relating to person & family, provision of solutions common issues and provision of opportunity to the rural level officials in order to make aware of their service to be done through these mobile meetings. Under the mobile meeting being held, identification of deficiencies existing in the aria and provision of solution for them at that movement, will be made. The issues that can’t be provided solution at that place will be forwarded to mobile meetings being held in electoral division levels. Solution for the issues which are impossible to solve in electoral district level will be provided in the mobile meeting to be held with in the days of implementing Dayata Kirula, declared the minister Basil Rajapaksa.

It is proposed to be implemented an array of programs such as holding health clinics ,distribution of spectacles, issue of Identity cards, reconstruction of tube wells, construction of rural roads, maintenance of irrigation and carry out reconstruction in the mobile meeting held in rural level.

“Bad security condition was prevailed in the country at the time of commencing Dayata Kirula national program. At that time people were not made aware of huge development made in over country.

For the purpose of making the people aware in this regards, this exhibition was started from Colombo. Yet, with the better condition of the security, President decided to bring this program to other areas of the country. Massive development flow was made within the above district by the focused development and public service implemented through this. There is a fact to be drown attention, It is because there are several people to criticize the deficiencies that can be made by us. Even though, tremendous development in made through this, a miner deficiency arising from it, can be highlighted. Large amount of tanks were developed in Anurathapura district in the previous Dayata Kirula. Several roads are constructed pastilles were given to 38,000 families. Yet, anyone doesn’t talk of this and only talks of a air craft in Oyamadu which has been delayed. Because of this creation of such deficiencies should be prevented in 2014. The no of officials participated in Colombo is reduced and talented and dedicated officials in divisional levels are put in place. Doing so, it is expected to put the travelling expenses for the development of the village. Similarly Grama seva Division, Divisional secretarial which maintained the best mobile service as well as the institution which provided the best service are selected and admired” said the Minister.

Senior Minister S.B. Navinna, Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Minister Salinda Disanayake, Minister Jayarathe Herath, Minister Jonstan Frenando, Deputy Minister Rangith Siyabalapitiya, Minister Indika Bandaranayake, North  Western Province Chef Minister Athula Wijesinghe and several others including Governor of North Western Province and District Secretary and large no of Government Officials also participated at this Occasion.

(Pix by Thusitha Chandrakumara)