Govt lauded for introducing welfare packs of essential goods

The Sunday Observer last week interviewed the public on Budget proposals. Here are the excerpts of the interview:

University Lecturer K.D. Nihal Hewage thanked the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government for presenting such a sensational Budget at this crucial moment when the country is at the end of the war.

"We must welcome the Government's Budget for giving priority for the development of the infrastructure in the country and also for introducing a welfare packs containing essential commodities at tax free prices to the low income groups."

Hewage also urged countrywide bakery owners to use at least 40 per cent rice flour along with wheat flour to make bread and other kinds of flour based food items, so that it will not only encourage rice farmers but also save a colossal sum of foreign exchange.

"People must also thank the Government for beginning the construction work of the Norochcholai power project, the Weerawila Airport and the Hambantota Harbour project even at this juncture when the country is in a war situation,"

He also said when the war is over, the Government's next objective is to reduce the prices of essential commodity items without causing any harm to farmer communities.

A 39-year-old barber Gamini Rupasinghe of Kosgama said he was confident that the majority downtrodden people who have no proper jobs voted for Mahinda Rajapaksa at the last election, thinking that the President who hails from a village would fulfil the aspirations of the people.

"Actually he fulfilled our main aspiration of taking steps to defeat the LTTE, but there is no significant improvement in economic development as we expected from him."

Referring to the introduction of an Environment Conservation Levy of Rs. 20 per month from household from next year, he said imposing various taxes by any Government from time to time shows that there was a major decline in the economic development in the country.

He also wants the Government to start more and more development projects and try to avoid imposing various taxes.

A 48-year-old carpenter Sumathipala Guruge of Hanwella said that he was engaged in odd jobs and consuming alcohol in the evenings was the only consolation to him.

He further said the increase in price of alcohol will definitely encourage people to use illicit liquor.

A mother of three children, Chitrangani Kariyawasam of Padukka lauded the Government for increasing the cost-of-living allowance.

"But, if the Government increases the tax on main consumer items during this period, there is no value of this COL allowance," she said.

Dhanushka Amarakoon of Moratuwa spoke against the imposing of the Environment Conservation Levy of Rs. 20, since it will adversely affect many low income families. "Government has not clearly mentioned what they are going to do with the large sum of money obtained from the Conservation Levy."

Therefore, he suggested the authorities not to impose the levy of Rs. 20 and re-impose the television and radio levy already stopped by the former President.

A retired hospital worker of Bamabalapitiya, Sridharan Poornima said the Government had completely forgotten the pensioners when preparing the budget.

"We expected a substantial pension increase considering the prevailing high COL in the country."

Sridharan also requested the Government not to deduct one per cent from their bank withdrawals, since it was the only asset the elderly citizens have.

Film Director Wijithasiri Hewapannage of Nittambuwa hailed the President for increasing the tax relief for production of films from Rs. 25 million to Rs 35 million. "But, people in the country were expecting price increases in flour, milk powder and kerosene oil and I think the Government can do it even after the Budget".

Chathuranga Rumesh of Kiribathgoda was happy over the significant improvement of the current war situation and thanked the soldiers for their invaluable sacrifice.

"It is pathetic that there is no indication in the Budget about providing of welfare to injured soldiers".

He said his elder brother was an injured soldier and the breadwinner in the family of six, therefore he requested the President to look into the welfare of injured soldiers, since many of them including his brother have no houses of their own.

M.N.M.Kathubdeen of Kandy asked the Government to impose a law on all bakery owners to make bread by mixing rice and wheat flour.

"If not, the Government will never be able to discourage people from consuming wheat flour products".

A third-year-undergraduate of the University of Peradeniya Kumudumali Sendanayaka said the Government's `Grow More Food' campaign will never succeed, unless the members of Parliament take steps to cultivate fertile lands and help farmers to establish cattle farms in their electorates.

A teacher of a leading girls' school in Mt. Lavinia Mrs. S. A. Peris was happy over the increasing of scholarships from 10,000 to 15,000 to facilitate the education of low income groups.

"I also request the Government to introduce an exercise books and other educational equipment distribution program among low income families in addition to their text books."

A medical student Gihantha Peterson of Wellawatta said that increasing milk production and banning the slaughter of cows in the country, is commendable.

"But, I must ask the Government to distribute cows to poor farmers free, otherwise the milk production will never be increased.

Pix: Vipula Amarasinghe