President commences the construction work of Etampitiya Drinking Water Project and Uva Migrant Resource Centre

By Janaka Alahapperuma

President Mahinda Rajapaksa commenced the construction work of the Etampitiya Drinking Water Project in the Hali-Ela constituency of Badulla District on 12 September. The project which will benefit around 1500 families in the area is expected to be completed by 2016. A sum of 2,250 million rupees will be spent on the pure drinking water project. The President was also engaged in a friendly conversation with a large gathering present at the Etampitiya town.

The President said that the government's intention to enhance the living conditions of all people, in the same manner it ended 30 years of terrorism and embarked upon the path of development. The ultimate objective of all government development projects is to provide a better living condition for the masses, especially in the rural areas, he further stated.

Meanwhile the construction of the Uva Province Migrant Resource Centre of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau has also commenced by laying the foundation stone in the same evening in Hali–Ela under the patronage of President Rajapaksa. The six storied building project will be constructed at a cost of 550 million rupees. The construction is to be completed within one and half years.

This centre aims to provide a systematic training to migrant workers to deliver a quality and efficient service in foreign countries. People in the province are able to obtain all services relating to migrant employment sector from this centre. Migrant Resource Centres are to be setup on the provincial level. A large gathering was present at Hali-Ela town to greet the President.

Several government ministers, MPs and politicians from the area accompanied the President.

Pix by: Chandana Perera and Nishanka De Silva