MR reduced electricity tariff for the first time in history: Sagara Kariyawasam

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa worked with a generation plan, created massive projects like Upper Kothmale, Norochcholai and Uma Oya and worked to provide electricity to the country at low cost, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary and MP Sagara Kariyawasam said.

Addressing the weekly media briefing at the SLPP headquarters today, he said
The electricity tariff was reduced for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka during the time of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"Mahinda Rajapaksa is the person who not only provided electricity to the people in this country but also reduced the electricity bill. He was able to do so because of his plans for electricity generation in this country," Kariyawasam said.

"There has been a lot of discussion regarding the increase in electricity bills in the country. All 225 parliamentarians used to be blamed for this. The Rajapaksas are also blamed. This is what people are used to thinking without knowing anything. 

"During the time of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, the country had to be without electricity for hours a day. This happened because the former leaders of this country worked without any plans for electricity generation. But for the first time, Mahinda Rajapaksa worked with a plan as a head of state in Sri Lanka," the General Secretary said.

"As a far-sighted leader, Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government planned to increase the electricity generation in this country according to the needs of the future. Accordingly, the Sampur power plant with 900 MW was planned. For that, all the necessary reports were prepared, contracts were signed and all the environmental reports needed for the Sampur power plant had been completed. 

"The 900 megawatt Sampur power station and the 100 megawatt Norochcholai power plant from the fourth phase were prepared to add a total of 1,000 megawatts to the power grid in the country.

"But the government that came to power in 2015 filed a court case through the Janata Vimukti Peramuna (JVP), and based on that case, the former President and Prime Minister completely stopped the Sampur power plant and the fourth phase of Norochcholai, which were supposed to operate according to the country's generation plan.

"Based on those losses, today we are producing thousands of megawatts through diesel power plants. Today, the groups that worked to increase the electricity bill in this country are silent," Kariyawasam charged. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)