Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-02-14

Implementation of the Development Programme in the Moneragala District to coincide with the 200th Anniversary of the Uva Wellassa freedom struggle

- When the British conquered Sri Lanka completely in the year 1815, the people of Uva Wellassa launched a struggle in the year 1818 against the suppression and it was the first freedom struggle against the British. In order to suppress the struggle, the Britishers severely destroyed the properties such as lakes and anicuts, lands and paddy fields, temples and religious places and the human lives around the area resulting in a severe socio-economic deterioration.

At present, the District which indicates the minimum development is the Moneragala District which includes the areas which were subject to the suppression. As such, the proposal made by Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the Minister of Public Administration and Management, to implement a programme in the Moneragala District, aimed at renovation of the reservoirs and anicuts, the development of roads and infrastructure facilities, renovation of religious places, improvement of agricultural farms and cottage industries to coincide with the commemoration in the year 2018 which marks the completion of 200 years from the freedom struggle of 1818, was approved by the Cabinet. It was further decided by the Cabinet that priority be given to implement the above programmes by utilizing the provisions already allocated under the Budget 2018 to the relevant Line Ministries.