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IMPROVING THE STANDARD OF LIVING


20 per cent of the people enjoy 57 per cent of the GDP. The Samurdhi recipients are the poorest people in the country. Eighty billion rupees has been saved by them in a bank, what are you going to do with this money? I request you to implement this project without considering party differences to eliminate poverty.”


The Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Hon. Dr Sarath Amunugama, MP, added that poverty would be further reduced with the implementation of the Divineguma Bill. He emphasized that a microcredit system for small-scale entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses and start new ventures would also be implemented.


Core objectives of the programme include alleviating poverty and ensuring food security for all.


The Divineguma Bill would also bring all institutions together to work towards the development of the country.


fisheries, industries and marketing. As per the new regulations enacted through the Divineguma Act, the accomplishments of the Divineguma Programme through the above sectors are many and varied. The agricultural sector promotes the participation of urban as well as rural people in home gardening including fruits and vegetables. Thus, the improvement of people’s nutritional intake is expected which in turn would reduce malnutrition while ensuring food security. It also saves money by preventing unnecessary household expenditure used to buy food items from the market. An additional income will also be generated by selling the surplus production thus giving rise to an economically empowered family unit. The environmentally friendly nature of the agricultural sector is reflected as it encourages the use of organic manure and crop diversification. The livestock sector, on the other hand, gives prominence to the distribution of chickens, goats and pigs and preparation of cattle sheds et cetera. A variety of fsheries projects are also in the process of being implemented by the Ministry


of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, with the financial resources allocated to projects such as breeding in fresh water ponds.


The industrial sector is also engaged in providing training to selected artisans in order to improve the family economy by providing financial and technical incentives to commence village industries. It is expected that it would boost household income while upgrading quality of life. Moreover, it will create small scale entrepreneurs in the villages while developing their technical and entrepreneurial skills contributing to social capital. The promotion of the concept of self- employment enhances particularly the contribution of women towards the country’s gross production. Features of the Act include the introduction of new regulations that draw on the three institutions: the Samurdhi Authority, Southern Development Authority and the Udarata Development Authority. The introduction of micro financial assistance as a poverty alleviation model is another prominent aspect of the Act.


During the debate, Hon. Dinesh


Gunawardena, MP, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, said that the Divineguma Bill would enter into history by raising people’s living standards while ensuring social justice. It would also strengthen the economy of Samurdhi beneficiary families, and result in the majority of people reaping the benefits of economic development. The Human Resources


Development Senior Minister, Hon. D.E.W. Gunasekera, MP, said:“This Bill has been discussed widely in the country. This will join three institutions. All Provincial Councils except the Northern Provincial Council approved the Bill. The amendments are all progressive ones. This Act has focused on the grassroots level people of the country”.


Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, (United National Party) stated that “if this Bill is brought to eliminate poverty honestly, we support it. If this is a move to exploit people to gain political benefits, it is not fair. Do you implement any special programme under the Upcountry Development Authority to eliminate poverty? You have allocated only Rs 14,000 million for 2013 to eliminate poverty. Around


Economic Development Minister Rajapaksa, in replying at the end of the debate said that “Samurdhi officers will be entitled to get their pension with the passage of this Bill. We take all measures to provide benefits for the people, though various groups go before courts not once but 100 times. This Act never grabs the power of the people; but this is the first time that the Minister’s power is given to them.


“The people who attempted to prevent the power being given to the people say they are happy as they too contributed to provide power for the people.


“We have never taken the power of Provincial Councils through this Bill. But going beyond the provincial councils, we have taken measures to give power to the people. I expected that the opposition would suggest positive amendments, but ‘no’. The communist parties in the government and the Muslim Congress made some suggestions. We add those possible ones. I thank all who supported this Bill”.


The Leader of the House, Minister Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, MP, asked for a division by name. One hundred and fifty nine voted in favour, while 43 Members voted against the Bill.


The Parliamentarian | 2013: Issue Two | 137


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