Irrigation, Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi states that steps have been taken to announce two new Mahaweli Divisions namely Godakawela and Weligepola by merging 72 Gramaniladari Divisions belonging to five Divisional Secretariat of Ratnapura District.
Accordingly, there are 37 Gramaniladari Divisions in Godakawela Divisional Secretariat Division, 30 Gramaniladari Division in Weligepola Divisional Secretariat Division, two Gramaniladari Divisions in Opanayake Divisional Secretariat Division, two Gramaniladari Division in Balangoda Divisional Secretariat Division and one Gramaniladari Division in Kalthota Divisional Secretariat Division. Godakawela and Weligepola are to be developed as new Mahaweli Divisions under Walawa Special region of Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority by combining them as 72 Gramaniladari Division.
Under the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Act, the Walawa Mahaweli Special region was declared by Gazette No. 137 dated 16 April 1981.
But some areas of the Mahaweli Walawa region have not yet taken steps for development activities.
Minister Wanniarachchi pointed out that she was requested by representatives of Buddhist temples, voluntary organisations and farmers’ organisations to redevelop those undeveloped areas and strengthen the livelihood of the people.
The Minister also said that considering those requests, Godakawela and Weligepola were announced as new Mahaweli Divisions.
Minister Wanniarachchi officially announced the two new Mahaweli Divisions on Monday (10) and on that occasion Ratnapura District MP Mudita Soysa, Irrigation Ministry Secretary Saman Darshana Padikorala, Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority DG Mahendra Abeywardena, and Deputy Director Kaushalya Wijeweera, Land Use Planning Director Indika Jayawardena were present.
MP Mudita Soysa said that it is a timely decision for Irrigation Minister Wanniarachchi to develop 72 Gramaniladari Division belonging to five divisional secretariat areas of Ratnapura district under Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority.
Seventy Gramaniladari Division belonging to the two new Mahaweli Divisions, the number of families residing in them is 33,361. With these areas coming under the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka, many projects have been planned to be launched for the economic, social and cultural development of the people living in those areas.
Earlier, 47 Gramaniladari Division of Kolonna and Embilipitiya Divisional Secretariat areas of Ratnapura district were merged and Kolonna area was declared as a new Mahaweli Division.
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