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| Sunday, 4 May 2003 |
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Project to improve economy of rural sector Over 80 householders from 10 villages in the Homagama electorate opened their savings accounts with the State Mortgage Bank at a special ceremony at the Homagama Divisional Secretariat with chief guest Rukman Senanayake, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources and Bandula Gunawardene, Minister of Rural Economy and Deputy Minister of Finance as the guests of honour. The project 'Haritha Pubudu' mooted by the Green Forest Association, is aimed at achieving economic development and stability in the rural sector, thereby encouraging active involvement of the villagers in environment conservation. Nullifying the statement that economic development and environment conservation do not go hand in hand/are at odds with each other, the project's two pronged approach "uplifts standards of living through active involvement in environment conservation, and improves the rural economy by provision of economic stability for the rural households through the habit of savings", said Harindra Serasinghe, Executive Director, Green Forest Association (GFA). Besides the savings accounts, programmes will be carried out on home gardening, use of organic fertiliser, minimising the use of polythene and cultivation of timber and native trees. Jak saplings were distributed to the villagers as a initial attempt in this regard. A series of lectures/seminars are also organised on personality development and environment conservation. GFA, a voluntary organisation established in 1999 with the objective of active involvement in environment conservation, by a group of enthusiastic young men and women have so far engineered many conservation projects offering far-reaching benefits, for their participants. Their programmes focus on awareness creation amongst schoolchildren and the public, networking with government and non-government organisations, gathering and dissemination of information, facilitating nature-tourism and improving the economic status of the project participants. |
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