After nearly three decades of oppression due to LTTE terrorism, the Eastern Province was liberated with the Mavil-Aru humanitarian operation, bringing new hope for lasting peace and prosperity to the region. Since the liberation, the people of the East have seen positive changes. The government took immediate steps to clear landmines, resettle the displaced and establish democracy in the province. Elections were held in March 2008 to the Local Authorities after lapse of 14 years. Elections of members to the first ever Eastern Provincial Council were held in May 2008.

For the first time in nearly three decades, the people of the Eastern Province were able to fully exercise their right to participate in the democratic process, a right which was denied to them by the LTTE. With the elections, the Batticaloa Municipal Council was established and Batticaloa’s first Mayoress, Sivageetha Prabagaran was elected.

Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, a former LTTE combatant, gave up the rifle and commenced the path to democracy by taking oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Chief Minister of the Eastern Province. Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias “Karuna”, also a former combatant, was appointed to Parliament from the National List symbolizing political right, to former LTTE combatants who gave up arms.

A year and a half since the elections, the Eastern Province has seen massive development in all sectors. There is significant improvement in the civil administration, livelihoods of people, education sector, economy and infrastructure restoration as well as security in the region.

Under the “Negenahira Navodaya” Programme major development projects have commenced and some completed in all three districts of the Eastern Province. The programme aims to promote de-militarization, development, democratization and devolution in the East. Thus, it incorporates the core components of the Mahinda Chintana which are restoration of law and order and civil administration, equitable resource allocation among all communities, speedy implementation of the de-mining programme, restarting livelihood activities and reconstruction of damaged social and economic patterns, as well as restoring infrastructure.

The government’s expenditure between 2006 – 2008 for re-settlement, economic infrastructure, productive sector and social infrastructure was Rs.12 240.55, 81 951.51, 2 662.10 and 5 545.94 millions respectively.


Maintaining law and order

The Government has taken action to station security forces in strategic locations to establish a strong security network in the Eastern Province. It has established new police stations and police posts and also recruited Tamil police officers for the Eastern Province.

Five new Police Stations and 41 new Police Posts have been established in the Batticaloa District while 07 new Police Stations and 06 new Police Posts have been established in the Trincomalee and Ampara District, respectively.

Also 301 Tamil Speaking Police Officers from the Eastern Province have been recruited and at present they are deployed to serve the people in the Batticaloa District.



Agriculture


Paddy

Paddy asweddumized areas were 4% in 2006-2007 and it was increased up to 7% in 2007-2008 in Ampara District. It was -13% in Batticaloa District in 2006-2007 and then increased to 133% in 2007-2008. The paddy cultivation area in Trincomalee District was 38% in 2006-2007 and it increased up to 58% in 2007-2008.

Overall the paddy cultivation was increased from 5% in 2006-2007 to 38% in 2007-2008. The average yield of the Eastern Province increased from 4.1 in 2007 to 4.29 in 2008.


Other Crops

Maize cultivation was 8,200M in 2006-2007 and it was increased to 12,775M in 2008-2009. As a result the maize production went up from 12,301M to 19,163M in 2008-2009.

Ground Nut cultivation was 1,089M in 2006-2007 and increased to 2,127M in 2008-2009. Thus, the Ground Nut production went up from 2,178M (2006-2007) to 4,254M in 2008-2009.

Green Gram cultivation was 1,115M in 2006-2007 and it was increased to 2,310M in 2008-2009. Thus, the production increased from 1, 673M (2006-2007) to 3,466M in 2008-2009

Cowpea cultivation was 742M in 2006-2007 and it was increased to 6,409M in 2008-2009. The production increased from 1,114M (2006-2007) to 9,610M in 2008-2009.

Red Onion cultivation was 416M in 2006-2007 and it was increased to 634Min 2008-2009. The production increased from 10,400M (2006-2007) to 15,850M in 2008-2009.


Vegetables

Vegetable cultivation in the Eastern Province was 5345Ha in 2006-2007. It was increased to 9518Ha in 2008-2009.


Livestock

The cattle population in the Province was 264,063 in 2006 and it was increased to 326,671 in 2008 while the poultry population was 698,074 in 2006 and increased to 883,821 in 2008.


Milk Production

The total milk production of the Eastern Province was 96,411 litres per day in 2006. It was increased to 160, 404 litres in 2008 due to access to collection facilities and replacement of lost livestock.

Other dairy products, such as curd, ghee yoghurt also increased according to the higher milk production in the East.


Infrastructure

The expenditure for economic infrastructure in Eastern Province was Rs.82, 951.51 million. The government expenditure for the construction of roads and bridges was Rs.36, 209.02mn. The Government also allocated Rs.1533.19mn for electricity, Rs.44, 865.30mn for water supply and drainage, Rs.68.75mn for transport and Rs.75.25mn for ports development.

Housing Projects
 

The Government has initiated a project to build 42,747 houses in the Eastern Province, at a cost of Rs.9591.087mn. The Government is building 34,860 new houses for middle and low income families in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts. 26,500 of existing houses will be improved under this project. The fund requirement for this task is Rs.10, 667 million.
	Housing Scheme for the Eastern Province

Roads and bridges

The Government has initiated construction and repair of 3007 km of roads, 28 new culverts and 32 bridges. The expenditure for this task is Rs.36 209.02mn.

Upparau, Manampitiya, Pudawikkattu, Irakkandi, Yan Oya, Arugambay and Komari Causeway bridges have successfully completed.

Oddamavadi, , Ralkullai, Gangai, Verugal, Panichchankerny Causeway, Kayankerny, Kallady, Koddaikalar Causeway, Periyakallar Causeway, are the ongoing projects for bridges in the East.


Power and Energy

The Eastern Province was gradually provided with electricity and areas with electricity substantively increased from 2005 to 2008.

Electricity was provided to only 42.33% in Ampara District in 2005. It increased to 56.50% in 2008. Batticaloa District had electricity in only 46.00% of the province in 2005 but went up to 54.20% by 2008. It was 55.57% in Trincomalee District in 2005 and then rose to 56.50% in 2008. In 2005 only 47.90% of the entire Eastern Province had electricity but it increased to 59.00% by 2008.

Ports Development

The Sri Lankan government has commenced development of ports not only in the western and southern parts of the country but also in the Eastern and Northern Provinces, where terrorism prevailed for nearly three decades. The government’s commitment to spread development to the entire nation and bring better lives to all communities is evident through these port development projects in the North and East.

Trincomalee Port

Trincomalee harbor is the fifth largest natural harbour in the world and the available water and land area is about ten times as much as the Port of Colombo.

Trincomalee was tentatively identified to cater for bulk and break bulk cargo and port related industrial activities including heavy industries, tourism and agriculture etc.

At present Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) is in the process of developing Trincomalee as a metropolis growth centre. SLPA has completed a zoning plan to utilize the huge amount of existing unutilized land under its jurisdiction on the outcome of the analysis with other sectors of development, such as UDA, BOI, and Tourist Board etc. SLPA has advertised locally and internationally for proposals from potential investors for the Industrial Park and Tourism Zone in the Trincomalee Ocean City.

Port of Oluvil

Under the “Negenahira Navodaya” Programme which was launched to expedite development activities in the region, high priority is given to the development of the Port of Oluvil which is significant to the growth of the Eastern Region of Sri Lanka.

This port will form the South Eastern link in the developing chain of coastal harbours in the country and will provide more convenient and cost effective access to and from the South Eastern region for goods and cargo originating on the west coast.

The proposed project comprises the construction of a commercial harbour and a basin for fishing craft and covers a land area of 60ha in the first stage and 105 ha in the second stage. The harbour basin would cover an area of 16ha of the sea and would spread 1.2km along the coast line.

The acquisition and purchasing of lands for the project is completed. Compensation payments to 806 beneficiaries have already been made.

Permanent Building constructions, such as administration buildings, Fishery Harbour activity buildings etc. are in progress while internal roads and access road constructions are continuing.

Water Supply and Drainage

The expenditure for upgrading the water supply and drainage system in the Trincomalee District is Rs.4 281.10 million with benefits to over 20,000. In Batticaloa District the project costs Rs.9 594.98 million benefiting over 43 000. The expenditure for upgrading the water supply in the Ampara District is Rs.30 123.78 million benefiting more than 30,000.
	Wandaramulla Surface Tank

Irrigation Schemes

The project for irrigation schemes developed Raja-Ela (clearing water weeds & purifying), Mavil –Aru Radial Gates, Verugal Anicut Rehabilitatio, Mahaweli Flood Bund Neelapola and Left & Right Bank Bund.

Rehabilitation is also done on Rugam Tank, Batticaloa. The total estimated cost for the task is Rs.340mn which was funded by the World Bank. Farmers of Koralaipattu South and Eravurpattu areas will benefit from these projects.

Morawewa cannel was rehabilitated at a cost of Rs.171.0mn. Tank bund work of the Province was done with an allocation of 40.0mn and the Puluganawa Tank Head work was completed at a cost of Rs.291.0mn.


The augmentation of Unnichchi Tank is done at a cost of Rs.443mn funded by the ADB. It will supply water to approximately 4200 farm families in Eravur and Batticaloa.

Transport

 

57 new buses were deployed while 2 model depots were built in Ampara District at a cost of Rs.9.75 million.
 

Other

Steps have been taken by the government to establish an industrial estate in 25 acres in Trincomalee at a cost of 125.44mn, which will be used for vocational training activities in the automobile trade, leather trade and scientific dress making.

A weaving centre, a building for clay products and handloom centres were renovated at a cost of 19.47mn in Ampara.


Tourism Development

The Eastern Province is endowed with a 420 km coastline world renowned for its wide sandy beaches and warm shallow sea water. Kokilai to Arugambe coastline is famous for its scenic beauty and has long been established for surfing, the world's 13th best surfing location.

Pottuvil offers what has been described as “every surfer's dream of a tropical wave”. Nilaweli is another famous place for water sports enthusiasts and Pasikudah offers wide sandy beaches while Kalkudah is identified as excellent tourist destination.


The Government is developing a Picnic Area in Nilaveli and Pasikuda at a cost of Rs.3 million. A museum has been constructed in Seruwawila at a cost of Rs.8 million and China Bay Airport Terminal is also being constructed at a cost of Rs.1 million.


Metro Development Plan – Trincomalee Special Economic Zone

The Government has planned to make Trincomalee as a Special Economic Zone, under the Metro Development Plan.

The first stage of construction of the new Secretariat Building is also completed at a cost of Rs.68mn.