He further said under the National Physical Planning Policy, they identified four corridors - Colombo to Trincomalee via Kurunagala, Galle to Tissamaharama, Jaffna to Kilinochchi and Valaichchenai to Ampara via Batticaloa. Batticaloa and Ampara have been classified as elemental towns. It was only after 2018 that this ministry received the opportunity to develop towns outside the Western Province.

“Batticaloa Mayor Thyagaraja Saravanapavan referred to discrimination in the disbursement of funds, but our ministry will develop every main town with no discrimination. As I assured, the plan and feasibility reports are ready to establish a new bus terminal and a town hall in Jaffna. Similarly, a new town hall will be built in the Batticaloa Municipality as requested by the Mayor,” the Minister said.

“Foreign aid has already been received through the External Resources Departmentfor the development of Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Galle and Kandy. In the future, the towns of Dambulla, Kurunagala, Trincomalee, Matara, Ratnapura, Batticaloa and Ampara will be developed. The Western Province attracts tourists on account of the International Airport and the harbour; the airport in Batticaloa too must be developed to the standard of an international airport to attract more tourists,” Minister Ranawaka said.

“Only 30 percent of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara had electricity when I became the Power and Energy Minister after the conflict and I was able to increase that to 90 percent. I provided employment opportunities for the unemployed youths in the Eastern Province and I ask youths not to migrate to Canada or the United Kingdom, but to develop places such as Chenkalady and Valaichchenai and live in Batticaloa. My intention is to develop the Batticaloa- Trincomalee highway to the standard of Colombo-Galle Expressway,” the Minister said.