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Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2014-11-12
Rural Development Initiatives of the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development

- the proposal made by Hon. Douglas Devananda, Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development, to proceed with the activities pertaining to the following, was approved by the Cabinet:

* Rehabilitation and reactivation of the Elephant Pass Saltern - in 2014 the Ministry of Economic Development has provided Rs.100 mn. under the "Uthuru Wasanthaya" Programme to rehabilitate and reactivate 330 acres of Saltern as Phase I to achieve an estimated salt production of 20,000 MT per annum and development work to rehabilitate infrastructure such as sea water reservoir, evaporation pans, crystallization pans and salt platforms are currently being undertaken. In 2015 it has been planned to rehabilitate and reactivate an additional 447 acres as Phase II to produce a further 25,000 to 30,000 MT of salt per annum. The estimated cost of Phase II to be initiated in 2015 is Rs.125 mn.; and

* Strengthening the Fishnet Factories in Weerawila and Lunuwila to support and strengthen fish production - currently the Weerawila Fishnet Factory has a production capacity of 120 MT per annum and Lunuwila Factory has a capacity of 180 MT per annum. It is proposed to modernize these two factories at a cost of Rs.99.5 mn. in 2015.