Though Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, the brother and senior advisor to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, had said several million rupees of money have been allocated for the development of Batticaloa district the funds have not reached the Batticaloa district secretariat, according to district government officials.
Minister Basil Rajapaksa attends every meeting held in Batticaloa district and promises to allocate money for the proposed development projects.
But several development proposals have been lying in the secretariat for want of funds as the minister’s promises remain unfulfilled, civil sources express concern.
Families affected by the war in the Batticaloa district have been resettled. But they have been undergoing untold hardships without basic needs such as proper dwelling facilities, drinking water, health and sanitation facility, proper education to students and transport.
Though foreign governments and public organizations have allocated funds for providing such facilities to the resettled families the funds allocated by them are not channeled to Batticaloa secretariat, according to a government official who did not want to be identified.
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