The Hon. Elayathamby Srinath (Medical Practitioner)

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member and Hon. Members, I am pleased to speak on the Heads of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development. In the North and East, due to the war, many youth dispersed, and even 10–15 years after the war, without proper guidance, they leave abroad for employment. Your government has a moral responsibility to change this situation, especially as you have the support of many Members and the people.

¶ 02 In the North and East, the sports sector and youth employment prospects have deteriorated. In Batticaloa District, St. Michael’s College was once a national-level basketball powerhouse, but due to lack of opportunities, momentum has waned. The Ministry must actively support sports programmes in Batticaloa.

¶ 03 The Weber Stadium in Batticaloa needs substantial upgrades. Being adjacent to the Courts Complex, hosting events is difficult, forcing games to other locations. Batticaloa District is vast—covering Vakarai, Kattankudy, Kaluwanchikudy, Chenkalady, Valaichchenai, Paddiruppu, and Batticaloa South. There are no proper sports grounds; athletes must compete on substandard, small fields. Recently, the district kabaddi team won in Kerala, India. Such achievers must be encouraged and the district’s sports facilities improved.

¶ 04 There is no permanent District Sports Officer; there are five coach vacancies; and only seven of the required 14 divisional Sports Officers are in post. Despite these shortages, athletes in karate and wrestling are performing at national level. Talented kabaddi and basketball players have been neglected. The public believe your government, committed to equality, will provide equitable facilities across regions and make substantial allocations for sports development, even if this first budget lacks large district-specific provisions. National programmes should ensure development in Batticaloa too.

¶ 05 There are thousands of unemployed graduates and youth in our district; a national employment programme is needed. Unemployment pushes youth into social ills and substance abuse, and wastes time on social media. Large-scale job-creation programmes must be launched in Batticaloa. The district depends on agriculture, fisheries and livestock; there must be investments and projects in these. Farmers lack drying and processing facilities for paddy, despite Batticaloa ranking fifth in paddy production; we must expand agro-processing to preserve value.

¶ 06 Likewise, fisheries lack requisite facilities; we end up importing fish and rice. For dairy, there are over 600,000 cattle but no grazing lands; long-standing issues like Mayilathamadu and Madhavanai pastures remain unresolved. The new government should, on principles of equity, advance all districts expeditiously.

¶ 07 Before the war, there were factories in Batticaloa, including the paper mill, which provided many jobs; printing and ice plants existed. Post-war, no efforts were made to rehabilitate them. For 15 years, foreign investment proposals were often blocked. Your government now bears the responsibility—Tamil people voted with expectations. Even if major allocations are not in this Budget, future national projects should bring tangible development to Batticaloa. Engage local intellectuals, resource custodians, and people’s representatives in planning.

¶ 08 Past projects like ilmenite mining and prawn farms often damaged the environment and amounted to resource plunder. The region is ideal for agriculture; we should invest to boost production—especially coconut and cashew—for export. Producers now sell at low prices; you must act as exemplars. Even if funds are not allocated now, conduct feasibility studies at district level to build confidence.

¶ 09 Tamil people, as a historically affected community, will cooperate if you act correctly. We need investments to create jobs, and to elevate sports in Batticaloa. Thank you.