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| Sunday, 28 November 2004 |
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Politics |  |
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Budget aims at national development - PM Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse speaking on the maiden budget of the UPFA government in Parliament said that the budget was aimed at national development if one looked through a correct lens. "The budget has not been designed to protect our position forever", the Prime Minister opined. The Prime Minister claimed that the country had fallen into a sad state because of many politicians and urged such politicians to go before a mirror to see their guilty faces. He said improper management of the economy, privatisation fraud and corruption in an unprecedented manner over the years had plunged the country into a crisis. "Therefore, we must dig the nation out of this dangerous situation", the Prime Minister warned. Commending Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, the Prime Minister said that the Finance Minister had designed his budget giving pride and place to nation building as stressed in the UPFA manifesto to make the people partners in economic development. He cautioned that as the UPFA policy was to take the country forward, people's issues should not be left behind in the future. "State officials should resolve people's problems swiftly using powers vested in them", Rajapakse said. Continuing the Prime Minister said: 'In order to disseminate development plans and progress to the villages I propose that an e-library scheme be initiated and set up in selected places like religous worship in the villages. Our emphasis on focus on research and development areas look poor. This had hindered the identification and collection of human resources. This area needs urgent attention.' 'The gross domestic product in the agriculture sector was 56 per cent in 1948.Today it is 19 per cent. These are matters of regret when we look back at the prosperous times this country experienced. We have now found employment for 41,000 unemployed graduates. Let us build more areas to find jobs for the youth.' |
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