Hambantota District which consists of 1/25 of the Sri Lanka has 1,338 villages spread over 576 Grama Niladhari Divisions administered by 12 Divisional Development Secretariat Divisions, and 12 Police Stations.  There are 576,268 persons resident in the District and it has two Urban Councils and 10 Pradeshiya Sabhas. 


Mattala International Airport

20,409 sq.km of this district comes under forest cover.  The District produced 214,245 metric tons of rice in 2009.  During the last four years, the District which was totally neglected in the past had undergone a complete change with the implementation of a number of development projects including several giant development projects which could transform the South to the development path and benefit the country as a whole. 

Al though there are 19 water canals flowing from the main river in the district, the Walawe Ganga, a dry climatic condition prevail in the district, during a major part of the year. 

Overall Development
To overcome the hardships faced by the people of the district, and alleviate the discrepancies the people of the district were subjected in the past, the government spent a huge expenditure to develop roads, electricity supply, water supply, education, health facilities, irrigation, agriculture, and other sectors.  In the year 2006 the government spent Rs. 39 million under the decentralized budget, Rs. 61.79 million through Ministry of Plan Implementation, Rs. 263.31 million through provisions made by Provincial Council, Rs. 557.26 million through other State authorities to implement these projects, amounting to a total sum of Rs. 921.36 million.
Similarly in the year 2007, the government spent a total sum of Rs. 3,098.35 million, representing Rs. 38.77 million provided by the decentralized budget, Rs. 1,029.95 provided by the Ministry of Plan Implementation, Rs. 229.28 million provided by the Provincial Council,Rs. 1,614.25 million provided by State Authorities, Rs. 163.30 millionby the Maga Neguma Programme and Rs. 22.80 million by the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme.


Hambanthota Fishery Harbour

Continuing these development activities further, the government spent Rs. 7,297.73 million in the year 2008, representing Rs. 33.40 million provided by the decentralized budget, Rs. 498.79 provided by the Ministry of Plan Implementation, Rs. 280.80 million provided by the Provincial Council, Rs.5,882.41 million provided by State Authorities, Rs. 131 million by the Maga Neguma Programme and Rs. 471.33 million by the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme.


Hambanthota New Government Office Complex

In the year 2009, the government spent a total sum of Rs. 7,399.29 million representing Rs. 34.80 million provided by the decentralized budget, Rs. 314.14 million provided by the Ministry of Plan Implementation, Rs. 458.23 million provided by the Provincial Council, Rs. 6,141.11million provided by State Authorities, Rs. 279.80 million by the Maga Neguma Programme and Rs. 141.21 million by the Jathika Saviya Gama Neguma scheme.



The total expenditure incurred by the government during the last 4 years in this manner amounted to Rs. 18,716.73 million.

Village resurgence through road development
The government paid a special attention to develop the roads throughout the district as it was a great hindrance to people’s mobility, and transport their produce to nearby markets.  With this objective in mind the government spent Rs. 19.12 million for development of 13.31 km of Grade “A” roads, Rs. 504.87 million for development of 56.95 km of Grade “B” roads, and Rs. 172.73 million for development of 217.82 km of Provincial Roads.



 This expenditure was incurred in the year 2006.  Similarly in 2007, the government spent Rs. 14.01 million for development of 1.81 km of Grade “A” roads, Rs. 912.60 million for development of 70.40 km of Grade “B” roads, andRs. 13.96 million for development of 141.15 km of Provincial Roads. In the year 2008, the government spent Rs. 45.15 million for development of 88.01 km of Grade “A” roads, Rs. 1,679.79 million for development of 76.02 km of Grade “B” roads, and Rs. 134.44 million for development of 147.85 km of Provincial Roads.

Ending the Era of Kerosene Lamps
It was the kerosene bottle lamp that gave light to the people of this neglected district in the past.  The government completely eliminated this gross inequality by implementing several electricity projects during the last 4 years.  362 electricity projects were implemented in the year 2006 at a cost of Rs. 169.10 million.  In the year 2007, Rs. 149.90 million was spent on 302 electricity projects and Rs. 131.50 million on 16 Raneliweta Power Projects.  In the year 2008, the government spent Rs. 64.80 million on 119 electricity projects and Rs. 504.90 million on 90 Raneliweta Power Projects. 

Quenching the thirst of the people
In the past, majority of the people in the district, who experience a dry climatic condition, had to trek a long distance carrying pots and pans for collecting water to quench their thirst.  In order to assuage this burden the government spent Rs. 1,358.14 million to implement 93 water supply projects in the year 2006, Rs. 1,144.36 for 99 water supply projects in 2997, and Rs. 1,182.21 million on 91 water supply projects in the year 2008.

Housing development
Hambantota is one of the districts that devastated by the Tsunami disaster.  Several families lost their houses and became destitute overnight.  The government implemented several housing projects during the period 2006-2008 to help these people.  In the year 2006, the government spent Rs. 19.20 million to construct 380 housing projects.  In 2007, Rs. 8.40 million was spent on 210 housing projects and in the year 2008, Rs. 19.20 million was spent on 377 projects. 

Health Sector Developments
The government also paid much attention to improve health facilities in the Hambantota district which was a long felt need.  The government spent Rs. 76.03 million on 95 health facilities projects in 2006, Rs. 43.93 million on 79 projects in 2007 and Rs. 52.19 million on 69 projects in the year 2008.
 
Educational Development
Similar to other sectors the government also incurred a huge expenditure for the development of educational facilities in the district.  In the year 2006, the government spent Rs. 82.30 million on 149 educational development projects.  In the year 2007, the government spent Rs. 44.40 million on 159 educational projects.  Similarly, Rs. 50.02 million was spent on 115 educational projects in the year 2008.



Agricultural Development
Agriculture is the main source of income for a majority of people in the district.  To help these people and raise their living standards the government spent Rs. 11.50 million on 32 agricultural development projects in 2006, Rs. 6.70 million on 22 projects in 2997 and Rs. 8.30 million on 37 agricultural development projects in the year 2008. 



Accordingly, during the 3 year period from 2006 – 2008, the government spent Rs. 11,310.64 million for development of roads, electricity, water supply, housing, health facilities, education, irrigation and agricultural sectors in the Hambantota District.  In the year 2009, the government spent Rs. 7,406.09 million for the development of these sectors.

Large Scale Development Projects
In addition to the aforementioned projects, the government implanted and began work on several giant development projects during the last 4 years.  Construction of the Hambantota Harbour is significant among these projects.  This project, being implemented by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Ministry of Ports and Aviation, is estimated to cost U.S.$ 360 million, which is equivalent to Sri Lankan Rupees 36,000 million.



The Matara-Kataragama Railway Line project, which is being implemented presently by the Ministry of Transport is estimated to cost U.S,$ 91 million, which will be equivalent to Rs. 9,100 million.  Similarly, the International Conference Hall Complex is estimated to cost U.S.$ 15.3 million and the Administration Complex is estimated to cost U.S.$ 20.3 million.  These two projects are being implemented by the Urban Development Authority. 



Another huge project that would benefit the people of Hambantota district in particular, and the country as a whole will be the International Airport at Mattala.  The estimated cost of this project is Rs. 1,500 million.
The Chemicals Manufacturing Project being constructed by the Laughs Salt and Chemicals Manufacturing (Pvt) Ltd., is another major project that would benefit people of the district. 

The Ministry of Mass Media and Information is constructing a huge complex, the Ranminitenna Tele-Cinema Garden in Tissamaharama in a 235 acre land.  While this project would overcome a great shortage the country had, it would also provide employment opportunities to many people in the area.



Another major project being implemented in the district is the development of the development of the Walawe Left Bank Project.  This project is being implemented by the Agriculture and Mahaweli Development Ministry at a cost of Rs. 1,000 Million. 


Ranminithenna Cinema Village

There are several other major projects being implemented in the district.  These include, Rs. 500 million Dry Zone Botanical Garden project being implemented by the Department of National Botanical Gardens, Rs. 450 million Safari Park Project being implemented by the Department of National Zoological Gardens, and Rs. 500 million estimated proposed Kekirimbada Reservoir Project. 



The nation was engrossed with a cruel terrorist menace for the last three decades.  The country’s leadership emerged from this remote and neglected district was capable of ending the terrorist menace and offer solace to the masses who were gripped with grief and fear. The leadership offered by this district successfully ended the nation’s terrorist menace and now it is the to embark on the Development Era under this able, patriotic and dedicated leadership, and offer a Model Nation to our Posterity.