Regional development approaches in the dry zone of Sri Lanka: some observations on the Mahaweli development project
Date
1988
Authors
Gunawardena, R. S
Nelson, M. D
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Peradeniya ,Sri Lanka
Abstract
From the early years of this century, the development of the Dry Zone was among the favoured strategies adopted to foster social and economic growth in the country. The share of capital invested for the development of agriculture and irrigation by successive governments has always been high and exceeded 44 per cent of total government expenditure in the period 1979-1985. (Colombage and Karunaratne 1986). Early attempts to develop the Dry Zone took the form of government-aided colonization established under restored irrigation schemes (Farmer 1956, Ellman 1976, Fonseka 1963, Peiris 1989). Later, settlements were established under multi-purpose river valley development projects where emphasis was given to power generation as well as to the diversification of economic activities to include manufacturing and service functions (e.g. Gal Oya, Uda Walawe, Lunugamwehera, and Inginimitiya river valley development projects). Here, too, traditional paddy-based agriculture persisted as the main economic activity. The Mahaweli Development Programme, ihc latest project aimed at the development of the Dry Zone, is the largest and the most ambitious venture and involves a massive development effort encompassing a large segment of the northern Dry Zone (Master plan of the Mahaweli Development Project 1969, Accelerated Mahaweli Development programme 1977, Karunathilaka 1988). See Fig.1.
Description
Keywords
Mahaweli development project , Regional development
Citation
Modern Sri Lanka Studies, Vol. 3 , No. 2 , 1988 , pp . 61-85