President envisions:

Subsidy free country

Chaminda PERERA

“The people in my country will no longer depend on subsidies and the local Government institutions should not be offices from which these subsidies are disbursed,” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Village development will become fruitless if it does not comply with the expectations and conviction of the people.

Local Government institutions should show more commitment and dedication towards the public service winning their hearts and souls, said President Rajapaksa.

The President was speaking at the National Local Government Conference and the Swarnapurawara Awards Ceremony at the BMICH yesterday.

The best three Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas received special awards and certificates from the President.

The Kurunegala Municipal Council bagged the award for the best Municipal Council while Nuwara Eliya and Matara Municipal Councils received second and third places.

The Bandarawela Urban Council received the award for the best Urban Council while Kuliyapitiya and Gampola Urban Councils secured the second and third places.

Wariyapola Pradeshiya Sabha became the best Pradeshiya Sabha while Pathadumbara and Bandaragama Pradeshiya Sabhas managed to secure the second and third places.

Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Chief Ministers, Governors and representatives of Local Government bodies were present.

President Rajapaksa said Pradeshiya Sabha is not a stepping stone for the Provincial Council or Parliament. “Local Government institution is not an Ambalama (wayside rest) and we want to see local government bodies strong and autonomous. ”Certain elements thought bringing casinos and clubs to the villages is part of village development. These elements wanted to convert the village paddy field to a golf ground and village tank to a swimming pool,” he said.

Developing a village does not mean that we should turn the village into a city. We are bringing development to the village with more emphasis on national identity, he said.

President Rajapaksa said the Government takes public views and proposals into account when the war on development is launched. “The most productive development proposal begins in the minds of the public. They have the best idea on how this country should be rebuilt,” he added.

The President stressed the Government has taken measures to strengthen local Government bodies in an unprecedented manner.

“No Government in history strengthened the local Government bodies. All successive Governments in the country focused on how the power of the Parliament could be strengthened,” President Rajapaksa said.

He said the Government for the first time in history allocated massive funds for the Pradeshiya Sabha members from the decentralised budget and the era in which the PS members begged funds from the Ministers to implement development activities in the villages was ended.

”The Opposition which focused its sole attention on the power of central government expresses dismay when we recorded landmark victories at the Uva and Eastern provincial elections. Our victories at provincial council elections are not unusual as we placed confident in the local government bodies and their representatives.”