Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2015-11-18

Special Projects to ease the living conditions of the people in the Northern Province with particular reference to Jaffna and the surrounding Islands

- The Jaffna Peninsula is surrounded with over 15 islands including the Delft, Pungudutivu, Nagadeepa, Analaitivu and Mandativu. Out of these, people reside in 6 islands and the total number of families currently living in these islands are about 15,000. The main livelihood of these islanders are fisheries, agriculture, livestock and palmyrah based products etc. Due to inefficient modes of transportation currently prevail, the people have to spare a lot of time and money for traveling to the mainland. As such, the proposal made by Hon. D.M. Swaminathan, the Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, to implement 10 projects that will help to provide efficient transport facilities and improve their living conditions, was approved by the Cabinet.