Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-10-03

Irrigation Development Plan for the Lanka Sugar Company in Pelwatta

- The Pelwatta Sugar Company, which is a company affiliated to the Government, performs a very important function in the economy of the Uva Province producing around 10% of the total sugar requirement of the country. Most of the lands where sugar cane is cultivated for the purpose of sugar production of the Company fall within the rain fed areas and due to the low sugar cane yield as a result of the scarcity of water, the production activities of the company have been adversely affected.

As such, a proposal has been made for the implementation of an irrigational development project, covering the sugar cane planting areas related to the Pelawatta sugar company, with the financial inputs of the Government and the Company to enhance sugar production while also promoting the yield of the sugar cane planting lands. Under this project, it is due to renovate 13 small tanks and the existing streams and plans have been designed to construct new supply canals, rainwater harvesting ponds and tube wells. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Vijith Vijayamuni Zoysa, the Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, to implement this project, was approved by the Cabinet.