Colombo: Over 1100 acres of land abandoned in strife-torn Jaffna peninsula will be developed by the Sri Lankan government under a cultivation programme by giving huge subsidies to the farmers.
"Marking another historic achievement in the Northern Development drive the government yesterday inaugurated a massive cultivation project in the Jaffna peninsula with cultivation of 1124 acres of Paddy land," an official statement said today.
This project falls under the Government's 'Uthuru Wasanthaya' (Vadakkin Vasantham) development programme is an initiative of the Presidential Task Force chaired by senior presidential advisor and parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa.
These paddy lands were left abandoned due to LTTE's intimidation for over 10 years, it said.
These abandoned lands are located in Thananthilappu, Marawankkulav- south of Chavakachchari and are administered under two Grama Niladari Divisions.
The re-cultivation project will directly benefit 624 farmer families and will also provide many indirect employment opportunities for the people of the region, the statement said.
Senior presidential advisor Basil Rajapaksa, the chief guest of inaugural event, said that another cultivable land area of 13,000 hectares will be cultivated by next season. The government is to grant a subsidy of SLR 4000 per acre and in addition provide fertilizer and seed free of charge in order to engage farmers in paddy cultivation.
Basil Rajapaksa said the project will start from Chavakachcheri area by developing 1124 acres of rice fields, demarcated by Social welfare minister Doughlas Devananda, for which 1090 farmers have been registered.
The Government has deployed demining teams to unearth the land mines and evacuate booby traps set by the LTTE terrorists when they were fleeing the area at the latter stages of the war, Rajapaksa said.
"Immediately after completing the demining process and security and safety of public can be assured next step would be to bring back the livelihood activities of the people," Basil Rajapaksa said.
Speaking on the occasion, Devananda assured neglected rice fields would be re-cultivated under the 180 days resettlement programme for the Wanni.
The Tamil people are free to engage themselves without fear in their daily life unlike the situation that prevailed earlier, he said.
He said all communities could now live in peace and unity.
Northern Governor GA Chandrasiri said he was confident that Jaffna will be able to produce the rice requirements with the re-cultivation of land under the 180-day "Uthuru Wasanthaya" accelerated programme.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, August 28, 2009, 15:47