The minister said it is by comparing and contrasting that people can truly see the correct picture. The construction work of 3.5 kilometer-long Gadaldeniya - Paranapattiya Road in the Udunuwara electorate commenced last week, he said.

“It is a widely known fact that residents were chased away from homes when roads were constructed during the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. This happened even at Hematagama, along Kegalle - Avissawella Road. Even compensation was not paid to the victims who lost their homes and neither were they given houses,” he said.

 “On the contrary, the present government has paid Rs. 65,000 million and Rs. 43,000 million for 14,700 plots of land. Not a single individual was displaced from their homes or chased out. That is the difference between the present government and a dictatorial regime,” he said. Under the road development programme, the government has planned to develop 3,130 kilometers of rural roads apart from highway development.

The rupee depreciated because of the colossal foreign debt of Rs. 7,400 billion which was passed on to this government. The present government is not the author of this burdensome legacy. Rather, it is only an unfortunate inheritor,” the minister added.