Virginia 
President Rajapaksa issues instructions to the Ministry of Power and Energy to identify the needs of the people and become an institute closely associated with them. A special discussion on the activities of the Ministry and its future plans was chaired by the President at Temple Trees this morning.
Plans are being crafted by the Ceylon Electricity Board to improve its efficiency, minimizing the expenditure incurred on power generation and creating new income avenues within the next five years. The Electricity Board is determined to overcome fraud and corruption and become a viable institution sans burdening the country’s economy. The President said the Ministry should be determined to provide an efficient service to the people.
Activities of the Upper Kotmale Power Plant which is under construction to find solutions to the demand for power and the progress on the construction of the Norochcholai Thermal Plant were discussed at length. Attention was drawn to establishing a State owned company to improve the transmission network. Proposals were made to provide energy saving bulbs to low income families at a concessionary price. Giving his views, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka pointed out that the aim of his Ministry was to provide an efficient service sans fraud and corruption.
