Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-05-28

Development of the Hakgala Botanical Gardens

- Presently around 900,000 local and foreign tourists visit the Hakgala Botanical Garden annually which had been started by the British in the year 1861. It has been observed that there is a potential for attracting a greater number of visitors further by developing the Botanical Gardens to reach higher international standards. As such, it has been planned to implement a project for the development of the Gardens with a view to enhancing its revenue by 25% in the year 2023 and the socio-economic development of the surrounding area by creating new employment opportunities. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. John Amarathunga, the Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs, to implement the development project of the Gardens during the period from 2019-2023, inclusive of the protection of the historical herbarrium specimens from degradation, improving the scientific and technical activities within the gardens diversification of educational activities and the establishment of a National Seed Bank for flora, was approved by the Cabinet.