INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development, Jeevan Thondaman, emphasized that there are no plans to increase the water
Instead, the ministry is diligently working on implementing a water tariff formula, set to roll out in January 2024, he said.He assured the
public that following the water tariff hike in August 2023, there will be no further increases
The focus is now on developing a cost recovery formula, a collaborative effort with the Water Board, and Asian Development Bank (ADB)
project, an integral part of a policy-based sub-program
This sub-program aims to contribute US $ 100 million to the centralized budget upon completion, he said.Minister Thondaman addressing the
These individuals are beneficiaries of social welfare programs such as Samurdhi and Aswasuma, and this speculation is seen in light of the
upcoming elections.The Minister emphasised that notably, of the approximately 2.96 million connections within the Water Board, the estate
sectors are excluded, as they fall under the Rural Community Water Supply Department
This department extends its services not only to the estate community but to all rural areas, working closely with 5,000 community-based
Therefore, the water tariff in question applies exclusively to Water Board consumers.In addition to this, Minister Thondaman shared that the
The Ministry is also actively engaged in initiatives aimed at benefiting the Upcountry community, he said.A charter, featuring seven
committees, has been formed within the ministry to address a wide range of issues specific to the plantation sector
These committees are dedicated to economic upliftment of women and children, on gender equality, health, education, sports and other
unique concerns of the Upcountry community and reintegrate them into Sri Lankan society, ending their isolation within the plantation
sector.Minister Thondaman underlined the significance of the Upcountry community, consisting of approximately 200,000 estate working
families and roughly about 150,000- 200,000 workers
Media Division (PMD) reported.
