The Homagama, Pitipana area has undergone unprecedented development in the recent past, while contributing to the growth of the country’s economy and improving living standards of the people in the area, Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said.
The Minister said this while participating in the inauguration of the Sri Sambuddha Raja Mandirya, at the Homagama Pitipana Sri Uttararama Viharaya constructed at a cost of more than Rs. 3 million, to invoke merit on the late Kusumchandrana Akaravita Podi Mahattaya and the late Pathiravidanalage Premawathi, parents of Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana’s wife Thamara Gunawardhana.
The unveiling of the seven new Buddha statues at the temple also took place.
Bags containing nutritional dry rations were also donated to more than 200 pregnant mothers from the area through the personal donation of Minister Dr. Gunawardhana.
The Minister speaking at the event further said, “I was able to bring this Pitipana Grama Seva division to a unique place among all such divisions in the country. It has achieved unprecedented development and has even garnered international attention. One such facet of development is the Mahinda Rajapaksa College which is the largest secondary mixed school in Asia, with 300 teachers and 7,000 students.
“Last year, of the 763 students who appeared for the GCE Ordinary Level Examination, the college managed to set a record by qualifying 100 percent for the Advanced Level without any failure.”
“Also, more than 12,000 local and foreign students are currently studying at Homagama Pitipana NSBM Green University, which is the first and only green university in Sri Lanka. As a result, many new sources of income have been created for the people of the area. The value of land in the area has increased several times,” the Minister said.
“Among the faculties of technology established in the universities of this country, the Faculties of Technology of the Colombo and Jayewardenepura universities are located in the Pitipana region. The Institute of Nano Technology is located in this area. Many Government institutions including pharmaceutical factories, telecom data warehouse and textbook warehouse have been located in this area,” he said.
“The lives of the villagers have entered a new path through the creation of new jobs, sources of income and business opportunities. Because of this, an international-level religious mission is being carried out in this temple. Therefore, it is our responsibility to contribute for the betterment of this temple,” he said.
The construction of the Buddha statues was done according to the advice of Homagama Pitipana North Sri Uttararama Chief Incumbent Ven. Maduluwe Dhammika Thera. Contributions were made to the effort by Epa Dayaratne, Punya Jayathilaka, P.D.A. Lakshmi, Subhashini Jayasinghe, Mangalika Sudasinghe, Chandani Priyanka Sudasinghe and Samantha Jayasinghe and W.R. Samantha, W.M.P. Wijayathunga and A. Nishanthi Ariyadasa had contributed as sponsors.
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