SriLanka planning to pump more money through sugar industry

The global economy is in a crisis and Sri Lanka too is not immune and the country’s economy is facing a hard time. The Minister of Public Administration and Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama explained the challenges faced by the country and opportunities emerging with the liberation of the North and the East in an interview with our staff correspondent Gamini Warushamana. Following are excerpts from the interview.

While speaking on future plans, The Minister of Public Administration and Deputy Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said, Our future development plans must be focused on fully developing resources. That is the main objective in the Mahinda Chintana policies. Agricultural development will get the priority. We have to invest and quickly increase milk, sugar and fish production. There is a substantial growth in these areas. But we have a long way to go.

We have to develop Moneragala, Ampara and Kantale areas as sugar growing areas. Today the Pelwatta sugar company pumps Rs. 1 billion per month to the Monaragala district. If we can pump money to Ampara and Trincomalee districts through the sugar industry it would boost these rural economies and poverty will come down.

The UNP and the JVP oppose these sugar projects because they want poverty to prevail because then only they can win elections. That’s why the JVP too opposes Moneragala sugar project.

As British colonials did the JVP too opposes the development of the Moneragala district. British colonials opposed because it was a rebellions area and the JVP think that if the area is developed they will lose their political base. Today big agro industries such as sugar projects need to go to Monaragala to boost this lagging region.

Click to read full story

source: sundayobserver