Govt. has allocated Rs. 3,000b for Samurdhi - Pavithra Wanniarachchi

A. M. Gunesekera Banda, Balangoda Central Group Correspondent

WELIGEPOLA: The Government has allocated Rs. 3,000 billion for Samurdhi projects this year. This is the highest ever allocation, a government has made for poverty alleviation, said Samurdhi and Poverty Alleviation Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi.

She was speaking at the opening of Weligepola Samurdhi Bank branch.

The increase in allocation for Samurdhi manifestes government's keen interest in poverty alleviation.

This shows President Mahinda Rajapakse's commitment to uplift the socio-economic condition of low-income families under the Gami Pubuduwa and Gam Pubuduwa programmes of the movement.

Rs. 100 lakhs has already been allocated for each Divisional Secretariat Division to provide infrastructure facilities to a large number of villages.

All deserving families will be given Samurdhi benefit in July.

Samurdhi benefits has already been increased by 50 per cent from January as pledged by President Rajapakse, she said.

The Weligepola Samurdhi Bank has granted loans amounting to Rs. 80 million to the beneficiaries to launch and develop self-employment ventures.

The bank has a capital of Rs. 50 million, she added.

Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne said Samurdhi is free from politics, religion and racial affiliations.

Samurdhi started in 1995 by the PA Government, is meant to uplift the poor by providing subsidies and loans to start self-employment ventures.

The Weligepola Divisional Secretariat is among the undeveloped 100 divisional secretariat divisions.

He said he has a plan to develop the division by providing infrastructure facilities in addition to the development programmes of the Samurdhi Movement. Priority will be given to develop rural road network and providing water, electricity and sanitary facilities to remote areas in the Weligepola, Opanayaka and Godakewela Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the Rakwana electorate, he said.

"With the completion of the rural road network, easy access will be made to Weligepola, Opanayaka, Panana, Yalipasgamuwa and other villages", he said. Weligepola Post Office will be upgraded with all facilities and a building will be constructed for a Medical Officer of Health (MOH) at Weligepola.

A massive water supplying project for remote villages will be commenced at Rs. 250 million in the near future, he added.

Samurdhi Commissioner General Ravindra Hewavitharana, Weligepola Divisional Secretary C. M. Kottawatta, Ratnapura District Samurdhi Commissioner H. R. Peiris and several others also spoke.