IMPROVING THE STANDARD OF LIVING
GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT: IMPROVING THE LIVES OF THE SRI LANKAN PEOPLE
A new approach to development in Sri Lanka unites three separate government authorities to facilitate small-scale family and community initiatives to grow the Sri Lankan economy from the bottom up, say Ministers.
MrNeil Iddawala Mr Iddawala is the Deputy Secretary General Parliament of Sri Lanka. A lawyer, he worked previously in the judicial service.
Mr Neil Iddawala
A unique development strategy, the “Divineguma Bill” (Life Upliftment), was presented to Parliament by the Minister of Economic Development, Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, MP. In accordance with Sri Lanka’s key policy document, “Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the Future” it was presented in order to establish the Department of Divineguma Development by amalgamating the Samurdhi (Prosperous) Authority, Southern Development Authority and the Udarata (upcountry) Development Authority of Sri Lanka. This Act is designed to empower 1.8 million poor families in all parts of
136 | The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two
the country to overcome economic difficulties in the government’s attempt to realize the aim of making “Sri Lanka the miracle of Asia”, while eliminating poverty in the country. The Bill, which was previously much debated in Parliament and challenged in the Supreme Court, was finally passed in Parliament with more than a two-thirds majority on 8 January 2013.
The Act aims to establish Divineguma community-based organizations with the voluntary participation of Divinegurna beneficiaries to provide for a co-ordinating network at the district and national level. Moreover, supervising, monitoring and evaluating the functions of such organizations at regional level will be carried out by the Divineguma regional organizations. Similarly, Divineguma District Committees will be established representing all regional organizations functional within a district. In addition, Divineguma community-based banking societies will be established comprising of all Divineguma banks within the area of authority of each regional organization, in order to
establish a viable micro-financial banking network at regional level. The programme is based on the concept of “People initiate; government facilitate”, thus ensuring peoples’ participation from the bottom to the top in the development process. It also enhances the active role of civil society in good governance policies. The major purpose is to create a healthy and economically empowered strong domestic unit in several phases. Other core objectives of the programme include: alleviating poverty in order to ensure social equity, promoting economic development activities focusing on individuals, groups and families, and ensuring food security for all. Thus it is apparent that the Divineguma Development Department aims to ensure that all people are beneficiaries of economic advancement aimed at achieving economic prosperity for the betterment of all citizens.
Implementing Divineguma The Divineguma Programme will be implemented under several sectors including: agriculture, livestock and
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