Despite there are certain politically-motivated attempts to keep the people in the East in minimal living conditions, it is not my expectation to see them so, stressed President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his address after the inauguration of the Batticaloa-Vavunathivu Water Supply Scheme yesterday (October 19).

The Government intends to expand development that was once limited to Colombo, to every area across the country including Jaffna, Batticaloa, Tricomalee, Hambantota, and the Up-country, he further said. The Maninda Chinthanaya endorses the initiative to take the development of the city to rural areas, which requires the support of the people, he added.

Speaking in Tamil, President noted that the Government provides the people in those areas with every infrastructure facility including education, health, electricity, highways and bridges, and housing under the Negenahira Nawodaya porgramme, at a cost of millions of Rupees. He reiterated the need to uplift the living standards of the Tamil people.

He also said that it is his duty and responsibility to protect the people in this country, as everyone should live with equal rights and self-respect.

Constructed at a cost of Rs.11,000m, the Batticaloa-Vavunathivu Water Supply Scheme supplies 40,000m3 per day, for the benefit of around 250,000 people in 106 grama niladhari divisions.