Power for all households by next year - Ranawaka

Electricity will be provided to all households by next year, Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

The minister said electricity in the time of yore was a luxury.

He said electricity which had been limited to the urban areas in the past, would be provided to all including remote areas.

Minister Ranawaka gave this assurance while participating in the opening of the Aranayake Kelawagama rural electrification scheme in the Kegalle district on August 15 completed at a cost of Rs 16.5 million. Two hundred families will benefit from this scheme.

The minister said the country was today witnessing massive development activities for which electricity was of great need.

"Action has to be taken to extend power supplies to cover even the remote villages to enable the village population to undertake their development programmes," he said.

Minister Ranawaka appealed to the people to exercise care in the consumption of electricity for their domestic needs.

Deputy Health Minister Lalith Dissanayake also participated.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/08/18/news40.asp