(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Government has taken steps to promptly introduce a new Act to Parliament to establish a separate authority for the development of the villages in the estates in the hill country. Work on the new draft Bill was finalized yesterday (25th), the Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Palani Digambaram said.
The legislation will remove the line rooms with no basic facilities and provide the families in the estates with single-family houses completed with basic facilities. The new Authority will also coordinate the development of the plantation and estate sectors.
Digambaram said the aim of the government is to make the estate sector people stakeholders in the social development. He said the new authority will also engage in the development at provincial councils and Pradeshiya Sabha level and provide the deeds to the lands. The new Authority will also provide vocational training and a secondary education.
Under the new authority, conservation activities in the region, minimizing environmental pollution and National Building Research Organization’s recommendations, will be implemented. The director board of the new authority will have 13 members and 7 of them will be Ministry officials, the Minister said.
