The Government of China has donated machinery worth US$ 115 million to Sri Lanka to expedite its island wide development programmes on roads and irrigation systems.

At a ceremony held Monday at the Galle Face Green in Colombo, the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ms. Yang Xiuping handed over the machinery to the Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa.

Under the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Minister has initiated the Provincial Road Development Project in order to create a good road network island wide.

The program aims to complete developing and paving a stretch of 3,740 kilometers of road in all districts of the island during this year at a cost of 22 billion rupees.

The proposed development includes carpeting of roads, improvement of pavements, bridges, drainage, and replacement of culverts.

The Ministry has also implemented a programme to rehabilitate and develop the irrigation system island wide.

These machineries have been provided to Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Ministry of Agrarian services and Wildlife, State Engineering Corporation, Road Development Authority, Western Province Road Development Authority and several other government institutions.