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The NPP's 2024 Presidential Election manifesto outlines several new promises to improve infrastructure development in key sectors, including transportation, telecommunications, postal services, power and energy, and ports, shipping, and aviation.
Here is the full list of such infrastructure related promises,
Establishing housing loan schemes to support home constructions (in rural housing).
Establish a crew member-changing centre for ships navigating across Sri Lanka.
Developing proactive and real-time alert systems to warn against natural disasters (For example Floods, wildfires, and landslides).
Expanding research on renewable energy (hydropower, solar, and wind) and prioritization of the Akwerala wind power project to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels consumption and reach renewable energy goals.
Establishing "Technology Development Centers" in selected districts to promote local innovators to build technical solutions for local and national needs.
Modernize the Sapugaskanda Refinery to meet domestic demand and capture a significant share of the foreign market for refined oil and related products.
Construct an international oil transmission and cargo storage terminal in Trincomalee following the refurbishment of existing oil terminals.
Establish an aircraft service and maintenance hub to cater to the aviation requirements of the Asian region.
Adding 2,000 MW gradually into the national supply using solar power
Establishing micro-grid networks as energy units based on the cooperative principles
Turning the 1,500 MW thermal power plants which are under construction into liquified natural gas plants
Renewing small-scale hydropower plant agreements to encourage re-investments in the profitable energy field and to not cause loss to electricity consumers
Establishing a network of island-wide battery charging centres to charge electric vehicles
Establishing a special bureau to advise on energy related investments, energy trade, future trends in energy etc. based on global research and commercial data.
Gradually expanding railway lines on a priority basis to cover the regions which are not covered by the railway network at present, and thereby giving railway access to all main cities
Gradually developing the railway system to have trains run on electricity
Construction of safe cycling lanes within main cities and from nearby areas to the main cities which have traffic congestion
Provision of cycle parking facilities at main train and bus stations, institutions, and other public places
Constructing pedestrian lanes on the sides of roads in main cities
A technical unit to research and advise on promotion of waterway transportation
Passenger and goods transportation services implementation in waterways identified through feasibility studies
Increasing the public internet access points.
Building a centralized backbone network with the transmission network of the electricity board, to expand the communication facilities for rural areas.
Establishing wi-fi in public places, including schools, universities, libraries, educational institutes, gardens, and government offices, providing internet access at a reasonable rate with free access for IOT with all essential services
Free access to essential services such as emergency services, governmental services, public security services, health services, and education
Developing the infrastructure in rural areas, areas with limited coverage, and public places.
Allocating annual budget for mass communication in each ministry to the institutions maintained as PSB.
An electronic system for land registration and digitalizing land reports
A special research and development unit for the construction industry to introduce new technology and low-cost raw material
Source
NPP Presidential Election Manifesto 2024 at https://www.akd.lk/policy/ [last accessed 11 February 2025]
