Colombo, Aug 26: Sri Lanka today unveiled an ambitious development plan costing about $ 181 million using the money saved as a result of the ceasefire with LTTE rebels. The programme 'take your share of peace' - to build roads and expand electricity grid - was embarked upon thanks to the truce since February 2002, government spokesman and constitutional affairs minister G L Peiris said here.


The money from the defence budget savings and foreign assistance will be spent over the next 18 months, Peiris said.
He said that the ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had encouraged private investment projects while tourism and hotel industries were experiencing boom.

An estimated 23,000 jobs had been created in the hotel sector alone, he said.

"The government acknowledges that a durable peace is still some way off, but significant benefits have been achieved from the current 19-month ceasefire and many more are in the pipeline," Peiris said.

He said that the government hoped to spent a large amount of money to rebuild roads and set up electricity lines in rebel-held areas, but the work would require LTTE's support.

Peiris said that the government will increase the number of homes with electricity from the present 63 per cent to 72 per cent within the next 18 months.
The government has received money from Kuwait, Sweden and China for the new projects while the Asian Development Bank was funding road projects, Peiris said.

"In the months ahead, I am confident that if we can keep the peace process moving forward, then more benefits will be felt by the people," he said.


Bureau Report