Rs. 22 Billion Uma Oya Development Project to Benefit 5,000 Families
COLOMBO, October 2, 2026 — A Rs. 22.017 billion development project aimed at strengthening irrigation and water security in Monaragala is expected to benefit approximately 5,000 families, following the official handover of the Kuda Oya Reservoir to the public on Thursday (October 1).
The reservoir, constructed in the Kirindi Oya Valley under the Uma Oya Downstream Valley Development Project, was officially vested with the public under the patronage of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lal Kantha.
The project is designed to expand irrigation and drinking-water facilities while supporting agricultural development in the Monaragala District.
A key objective is to utilise water released following electricity generation under the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project, by diverting it into the Kirindi Oya River Basin.
The water will be distributed through an irrigation network connected to three main reservoirs — Alikota Ara, Handapanagala and Kuda Oya.
Under the project, irrigation water will be supplied to approximately 21,038 acres of agricultural land during both the Yala and Maha cultivation seasons through the Handapanagala Left and Right Bank Canals, Alikota Ara Diversion Canal and Kuda Oya–Sinhalayagama Diversion Canal.
The programme will also allocate approximately 10 million cubic metres of water annually for drinking-water requirements, strengthening water security for communities in the region.
The development includes improvements to feeder canal systems and the rehabilitation of 58 rural tanks and associated irrigation networks in the Wellawaya and Thanamalwila areas.
The project is also expected to strengthen water security for agricultural and industrial activities in Hambantota District, while supporting freshwater fisheries through the establishment of fisheries societies at the main reservoirs.
The Government expects the investment to contribute to agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods, drinking-water security and wider regional economic development.
