NCASL scholarships for Trinco engineering students

Story and picture by Sinniah Gurunathan,Trincomalee correspondent

Picture shows -- Trincomalee engineering undergraduates standing behind the guests and officers of the NCASL parent union and Trincomalee branch who are seated.

The Trincomalee district branch of the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL) is to provide scholarships to four engineering students who enter universities from the Trincomalee district from this year onwards.

Sarath Chandra Wijesuriya, NCASL’s Trincomalee district President, making the announcement at their seventh annual general meeting last week, said the decision had been taken to encourage these students to contribute in future to the construction industry after becoming qualified engineers.

Seventeen students including two females of all three communities who have gained admission to engineering faculties in universities from Trincomalee district this year were felicitated at the event.

The chief guest at the occasion was T. Thavasilingam, Deputy Chief Secretary (Engineering Services) for East Provincial Council and Engineer A.Velmanikkam, East Provincial Director for Buildings the guest of honour. Dr. Rohan Karunaratne, Chairman of the NCASL, said only two industries -- construction and mobile phones - have registered eight percent growth rate last year in Sri Lanka. He said the construction industry has been playing a pivotal role in the economy.