The lack of qualified engineers, technical officers, labourers compelled the government to rehabilitate them on the priority bases, the minister said responding to a question raised by Hambantota District UNP MP Sajith Premadasa.

Responding to the allegation of MP Premadasa who said that the provisions made in the budget 2015 was not adequate to rehabilitate all minor irrigation works numbering around 25,000, the minister said that no government could do such a work within a period of one year. “Only a government in utopia could perform such a task,” the minister said.

Minister de Silva reminded the MP that the previous UNP regime did not allocate even 100 rupees in its budgets to rehabilitate irrigation works which had been left high and dry.

The Minister said that there was a separate department in the ministry for the purpose of maintaining minor irrigation works. In addition Provincial Councils and Agrarian Service Department too have been tasked with maintaining selected minor irrigation works. “The intention of government’s irrigation projects is to make the farmers happy but I do not think that even the God Sakra who is the most powerful of Hindu pantheon of gods could make MP Premadasa happy,” he said. (Special Reporter/HC)