Poverty down nine percent

New awakening in rural sector:

Lakshmi de Silva

The national poverty level has dropped by nine percent. The decline in poverty is mainly due to the village centered development projects started under the Gama Neguma program under the Mahinda Chintana, Nation Building Ministry Secretary W.K.K. Kumarasiri said.

Addressing a media conference at the Department of Information, Kumarasiri said the poverty level that was 24 percent in 2007 had come down to 15.2 percent at present and the Government is implementing programs to reduce poverty further.

In Hambantota District the reduction of poverty is 12 percent and it was a significant positive factor that was made possible by the rural development programs implemented by the Ministry activities.

A total of 43,000 kilometres of rural roads had been built with concrete surfaces.

This improvement of roads has improved accessibility and transport in the villages resulting in rural produced being brought to markets increasing economic activity leading to higher income levels of the rural sector.

This program also given priority in the Mahinda Chintana policy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was one of the significant factors for reduction of poverty. There has also been a new awakening among the rural sector due to rehabilitation and improvements in micro irrigation reservoirs and systems as well as starting drinking water supply projects as people had access to irrigation and drinking water, while thousands of acres of paddy lands lying fallow had been brought under the plough.

New methods of agriculture and use of carbonic fertilizer has also increased the levels of income while reducing the cost of cultivation, he said.

Gama Neguma village development programs are implemented in collaboration with the Samurdhi, Gemi Diriya, Up-country Development Authority, Southern Development Authority and Estate Infrastructure Development Project and each of these had made their own contributions to reduction of poverty, Kumarasiri said.