(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga says a three-year action plan is being prepared to develop the rural infrastructure throughout the island and it is being implemented under the National Program to Uplift the Rural Economy.
Accordingly, it is expected to expand schools, rural hospitals, playgrounds and multi-purpose buildings in all Grama Niladhari Divisions throughout the country as well as facilities related to health, education, and sports and youth, said Minister Ranatunga.
He was speaking at a meeting of the Gampaha District Social Infrastructure Committee held yesterday (16) under the auspices of the National Rural Economic Development Program on the instructions of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The meeting was chaired by Ministers Namal Rajapaksa and Prasanna Ranatunga.
Problems in the fields of education, health, youth affairs and sports in the Gampaha District were discussed at length. There was a lengthy discussion on the expeditious filling of teacher vacancies in schools, especially in the Gampaha District.
It was revealed that there are 1032 vacancies for teachers in the Gampaha District. Minister Ranatunga instructed to take steps to recruit those who have passed the last Western Provincial Council Teachers’ Examination and have not yet been recruited, for these vacancies. The Chief Secretary of the Western Province stated that necessary steps are already being taken for that.
Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa intervened to expedite the resolution of problems in schools, hospitals and other institutions in the district.
It was also decided to reactivate the Provincial Council Structure Committees which are not functioning at present. Rs. 109.6 million has been allocated for the completion and repair of half completed buildings in schools and sanitary facilities at schools are also expected to be completed soon.
State Ministers Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Nimal Lansa, Vijitha Berugoda, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Sisira Jayakody, District Secretary Sunil Jayalath, District Coordinating Committee Chairman Sahan Pradeep, all District Parliamentarians, Divisional Secretaries and Secretaries to Ministries were present on the occasion.
