President Sirisena, after assuming the office in 2015 allocated Rs. 60 billion for the development initiatives to be implemented under the “Pibidemu Polonnaruwa” Programme, which is the largest amount allocated for the development of the Polonnaruwa district after the era of the ancient Sinhala Kings.
It is expected to complete the infrastructure facilities of 85 schools with the construction of the classroom buildings, resource centers, technical advisory units, principals and teachers’ quarters and multipurpose buildings. These 110 projects belonging to the school sector completed at a cost of Rs. 665 million.
15 projects completed at a cost of Rs.890 million under this program with the aim of creating healthy citizens will be vested in the public. Accordingly, newly built clinical building for kidney patients at the Higurakgoda District Hospital, Dental Surgery Unit, Administrative building and kidney patient clinical building at Bakamuna hospital, building constructed for the use of OPD and clinical activities at the Manampitiya Hospital, the new ward building at the Manampitiya Ayurveda Hospital and the new laboratory at the Aranaganwila and the Offices of the Medical Officers at several hospitals in the districts will be vested in the public.
Under this program, water supply projects have been completed in three areas including the Unagala Vehera and Pudur area and another 15 housing projects constructed for the benefit of underprivileged people in the Higurakgoda and Tamankaduwa areas and new houses build for the benefit of public servants also completed under this project.
Fifteen housing projects built for low income families in Hikurakgoda and Thamankaduwa spending Rs.19.1 million and for three water supply projects in Unagala Vehera Pudur area as well as new houses built for government officers are also completed under this project.
The construction works of nine projects were completed developing common facilities for the people in the district and also for the ease of the people coming from other areas and focusing on the people of Polonnaruwa district. The new bus stop of Madirigiriya and the two-floor housing complex of Hikurakgoda and the cinema hall built in Lankapura where 800 can be seated are also included in these development projects. In addition to that, the amount spent to build the new Urban Council hall in Polonnaruwa, Lakshyauyana Community Hall, Hela Bojun Hala at Manampitiya is Rs.343 million.
The amount spent for the 15 projects completed for the development of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic shrines is Rs.55 million. Under that new residence for sangha, halls for religious preaching, residence for Bhikkus, and halls for almsgiving are scheduled to be completed as fundamental needs of places of religious worship. Renovation of Hindu and Islamic shrines and constructing new building are also scheduled under this program.
Thus a city with new technology, irrigation facilities enabling the farmers to cultivate in both Yala and Maha seasons, a museum to exhibit the greatness of our nation, auditoriums to nourish the fields of drama and music, stadiums for sports focusing a huge development based on fulfilling the needs of the people is now being launched.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will also participate on these occasions.
