Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-12-05

Provision of funds for the implementation of the second phase of the Mahaweli Water Security Investment Programme

- The Mahaweli Water Security Investment Programme funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been implemented with the objective of developing the dry areas in the North Western, North Central and Northern Provinces by providing Mahaweli water to those areas. Under the first phase of this programme, the three (03) major investment projects namely, the Upper Elahera Canal project, North Western Province Canal project and Minipe Left Bank Canal Rehabilitation project, are implemented.

A sum of US$ 210 million is due to be obtained from the ADB under the second phase of this Loan Agreement and it has been planned to use the same for the construction of a part of the Upper Elahera Canal project with the tunnel, a part of the transfer canal linking Kaluganga-Moragahakanda of the Upper Elahera Canal project, a part of the Mahakithula tunnel of the North Western Provincial Canal Project, Mahakithula and Mahakirula reservoirs and the feeder canal from Mahakithula to Mahakirula reservoir, and for the implementation of the environmental and social security activities in the aforesaid constructing areas. As such, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to obtain the funds for the purpose, was approved by the Cabinet.