Srilanka

Sri Lanka plans to rehabilitate state mangrove lands that have been abandoned after using for shrimp farming and salterns as part of a project to increase the extent of mangrove lands by 10,000 Hectares.The cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal made by President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to take back the state mangrove lands that were given on lease for aquaculture and now abandoned.

KOCHI: To attract more tourists from India, the Sri Lankan government launched a Ramayana tourism circuit, which will links all temples and caves in the country associated with the Hindu epic, Indian newspaper New Indian New Indian Express reported yesterday. According to the report the initiative was presented by Sri Lanka Tourism Minister John Amaratunga at the Sri Lanka Tourism Roadshow held in Kochi on Friday. Amartunga said tourists from India visiting Sri Lanka will be provided with free visas. Also, the country has introduced a 50 per cent discount on hotel packages with effect from August 1 for Indian tourists and also brought down ground handling charges in airports.

Sri Lanka's Minister Rishad Bathiudeen says the government has allocated increasingly bigger volumes of funds for the development of the Northern Province in the last three years."This government has allocated massive funds for the development of Northern Province and more projects are to be launched," Minister Bathiudeen said addressing a function in Jaffna recently.

The National Exports Strategy (NES) will be an important driving force to propel export growth. Unlike for most other policies, there is a committee to monitor and evaluate the progress of NES strategy, Immediate Past President of National Chamber of Exporters, Ramal Jasinghe said.The government while facilitating the seamless implementation of the NES provides its fullest support to it. Cabinet has approved Rs 250 million for the activities of the strategy, he said.