Govt.to take over 100,000 acres of barren land for paddy cultivation
The Government is embarking on a massive countrywide paddy cultivation drive with a firm decision to take over 100,000 acres of barren paddy lands for five years commencing from the New Year 2023.
The Agriculture Ministry will implement this initiative of agriculture modernisation for food security on the directions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Business Times.
The Asian Development Bank will grant Rs. 8 billion to be distributed among the 1.2 million farmer families and youths who will participate in the massive paddy cultivation programme.
These 100,000 acres of barren paddy lands will be taken over by the government following the amendment of the Agrarian Services Act and Agrarian Development Act next year, he said.
It will be handed over to the landless youth community for cultivation as blocks of paddy fields for five years to cultivate it with the government‘s financial assistance and agro technical knowhow of the ministry,
The selected youths will have to work as tenant paddy cultivators and they will have to provide a part of the paddy yield to the owner of the land and the balance will be purchased by the Paddy Marketing Board.
The government will not take over the barren land if the owner agrees to cultivate it himself spending his own money. In order to make this programme a success, the Minister emphasised that the contribution of everyone from the national level to the divisional secretary and Grama Seva Niladhari officer level is necessary.
Minister Amaraweera disclosed that in addition to these 100,000 acres, another 800,000 hectares of paddy fields will be cultivated in the next Yala season in 2023.
The utilisation of 5,000 hectares of land in Moneragala, Kotiyagala and Kabilitta for farming was also proposed as a precautionary measure to prevent the food crisis which is expected in the future.
This decision was taken at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of the President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayake recently.
Although nearly 8,000 hectares of land in these areas were owned by the Forest Department for reforestation, it has been decided to commence reforestation activities in only 3,000 hectares of land in which saplings have already been planted.
The temporary distribution of the remaining 5,000 hectares of land amongst farmers for cultivation until the necessary facilities for reforestation were prepared was also discussed at the meeting.
Hitad.lk has you covered with quality used or brand new cars for sale that are budget friendly yet reliable! Now is the time to sell your old ride for something more attractive to today's modern automotive market demands. Browse through our selection of affordable options now on Hitad.lk before deciding on what will work best for you!