Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-01-02

Providing of relief to 4,000 farmer families of the Kaudulla Irrigation Scheme who had to abandon their cultivation of the Maha Season of 2017/2018 due to the inability to provide irrigation water duly for want of the structural investigations of the Moragahakanda Reservoir

- In accordance with the decisions of the Water Management Committee, it was due to release water to Elehera, Giritale, Minneriya and Kaudulla irrigation schemes from 10th November, 2017 for the 2017/2018 Maha Season. But since the water collection was needed to be done for the completion of the structural investigations of the Moragahakanda reservoir, it has not been possible to release water this time, for about 4,000 farmers of the upper canal of Kaudulla reservoir who are provided with irrigation water facilities.

For this reason, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to provide a special compensation of Rs.10,000/- per month in addition to the dry ration of Rs.5,000/- already provided for, to the 4,000 farmer families of the Kaudulla irrigation scheme, who had to abandon their cultivation of the Maha season of 2017/2018, for the forthcoming period of 03 months as well, was approved by the Cabinet.