Govt. provides USD 25 million for Smart Climate Irrigation Agriculture Project

Colombo, May 9 (Daily Mirror) - The government had decided to provide USD 25 million for the Smart Climate Irrigated Agriculture Project (SCIAP) for this year in many difficult districts through this project, Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

These funds were received following a request made by him to the President at the review meeting held yesterday at the Agriculture Ministry, he added.

The SCIAP, which is being implemented on foreign funds under the Agriculture and Plantation Industries Ministry, is scheduled to end by August this year.

Minister Amaraweera said that the spending of the USD 25 million allocated for this year should be started immediately and that attention should also be paid to the reconstruction of lakes in the respective districts as well as the provision of new agricultural technical equipment.

It was decided to provide solar-powered water pumps at a subsidized price because farmers in difficult areas face difficulties in getting water for cultivation. 

Accordingly, it was decided to start programmes so that farmers will be able to bear an affordable amount for providing solar-powered water pumps, and without charging other financial allocations, they can be provided to the farmers at government expense, Minister Amaraweera said.