President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited the Lower Malwathu Oya Multi-Purpose Development Project to assess progress on the stalled infrastructure initiative, which has been revived under the current government with Rs. 5 billion allocated for 2026.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake conducted an inspection of the Lower Malwathu Oya Multi-Purpose Development Project on Wednesday, examining the current status of a major irrigation infrastructure initiative that will serve the Rajarata region. The project, which began a decade ago but was halted for various reasons, has been restarted under the present administration with renewed focus on completion.

The reservoir development, positioned at Bogoda in Thanthirimale between Anuradhapura and Vavuniya districts, is being funded entirely through domestic resources. The government has committed Rs. 5 billion for implementation in 2026, with project officials targeting completion by the end of 2029. Construction efforts have been accelerated through resolution of previously identified obstacles, according to NewsFirst.

Upon completion, the reservoir will hold 169,400 acre-feet of water, making it the largest in the North Central Province. The facility is designed to address multiple development objectives, including providing drinking water supply to residents across Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Mannar districts, supporting agricultural irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, flood management and economic activities such as tourism and freshwater fisheries.

During his visit, the President engaged with project management staff to review construction progress and discuss emerging challenges and resource requirements. He stressed the importance of accelerating implementation to ensure communities receive the project's intended benefits promptly.