The Hon. B. Ariyawansha

Hon. B. Ariyawansha raised a supplementary question highlighting that large areas of estate land in Ratnapura, specifically citing Opatawatta and Hunuwalawatta, remain undeveloped despite being held by estate companies that harvest existing tea but undertake no further cultivation. He argued that reallocating these underutilised lands to estate communities would enable them to cultivate export crops such as tea, cinnamon, and pepper, generating significant income. He called on the relevant minister to formulate a programme for allocating such fallow estate lands for productive cultivation.

Hon. B. Ariyawansha raised concerns about the severe housing conditions faced by over 30,000 Tamil families in the Ratnapura district, many of whom live in temporary huts or centuries-old line room barracks housing multiple families. The member questioned whether the government has a concrete plan to address this housing deficit, including fulfilling election promises to provide 10-perch land plots. He also highlighted a specific housing project at "Aluth Kaella" in Suriya Kanda, funded under an Indian grant, which has stalled due to landslide risk, and called for an expedited solution.

## Summary Hon. B. Ariyawansha submitted Written Question No. 1500/2025 to the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure seeking detailed information on estate housing in the Ratnapura District. The question requests a three-part response covering the total number of estate houses in the district, a year-by-year breakdown of funds allocated for their development from 2020 to the present, and the government's future plans for improving those houses. The question includes a standard accountability clause requesting justification if the information is not provided.