Projects to uplift villages

Dhaneshi YATAWARA

It is clear that in the past the economic growth has largely bypassed the rural areas and concentrated more on developing the more populated urban areas.

Developed roads

Therefore, Sri Lanka needs a considerable catch-up in the growth rate not only to secure its place in the regions as a newly emerging economy, but also to ensure the country's economy is capable of providing better livelihood for all citizens, including the poverty-stricken. A substantial leap forward would not only require careful planning and implementation but also favourable external conditions.

In such a backdrop, Government's effort to develop the rural economy and economically strengthen the average Sri Lankan is a positive development when evaluating the global economical changes we witness. Of the entire economical contribution of the country the Western province contributes 50 per cent.

Understanding the importance of this contribution lately the Government allocated 200,000,000 rupees to develop seventeen villages of the three districts as model villages.

This Model Village Development Project is implemented by the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development and the Samurdhi Authority. The allocation is entirely from local funds. The project, according to Ministerial sources is implemented under the umbrella of `Gama Neguma' - the village uplift project under the direction of Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP along with Ministers Rohitha Abeygunawardhane and S.M. Chandrasena.

Land of village communities

For a long time Sri Lanka has been a land of village communities. The majority of the population lives in rural areas. Therefore, any development initiative should take into consideration this reality, if it is to be successful. The Government believes that our village, while retaining its strength and impressive features, can be deployed as a micro centre for growth - with the vision that the village has to be decent and comfortable place for people to live, work and engage in their cultural and communal activities.

These 17 villages are distributed among all three districts - Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara. For the Colombo district Halpita village of the Kesbewa DS division to be developed under these new initiatives.

In the Kalutara district the new development projects are implemented in Paraduwa village in the Kalutara DS division, Olaboduwa village of the Horana DS division and Bothale Gangoda village of the Bulathsinhala DS division.

Majority of the villages are in Gampaha district - a total of 13 villages namely: Demalagama village of the Dompe DS division, Wanawasala of the Kelaniya DS division, Godagedara of the Gampaha DS division, Thaladuwa of the Negombo DS division, Bollegala of the Biyagama DS division, Nilpanagoda west of Minuwangoda DS division, Heenatiyana south of the Katana DS division, Karagahathenna of the Meerigama DS division, Delathura of the Wattala DS division, Podiweekumbura of the Ja-Ela DS division, Atikehellgalla of the Mahara DS division, Maimbula of the Attanagalla DS division, Madampella of the Divulapitiya DS division.

The `Gama Neguma' project, that was mainly concentrating on the villages of the outstation districts, proved its success as it increased the GDP contribution from the other parts of the country from 48 per cent to 52 per cent within one year since the start of `Gama Neguma' in 2006.

Proven success

`Gama Neguma' is a new concept for rural uplift and village reawakening introduced with a view to bring about accelerated development of the rural Sri Lanka by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the year 2006 under the `Mahinda Chintana' policy framework.

Despite the different rural development approaches taken place over the past 61 years of post independent era, no significant progress has been achieved to bring about a change in lifestyle of rural masses to acceptable levels.

Developing irrigation canals in the Gampaha district

The mission of the project is to create a comprehensive development in villages through a network of community based organizations formed in rural community itself with active participation and to implement them with proper coordination and transparent manner.

Key objective

The `Gama Neguma' will ensure that the commitment of `Mahinda Chintana' is realized whereby each village is fulfilled with its necessities.

`Gama Neguma' is the major rural development program in the national development plan. The key objective of the Government is to develop all villages in the country so that they emerge as micro-centres of growth on modern lines. In order to bring together, rationalise all development programs and service delivery mechanisms the institution of `Grama Sabha' and `Jana Sabha' are introduced in these villages. Through this process the local Government will be further strengthened. Under the new project in each buildings for these `Grama Sabha' and `Jana Sabha' institutes will be built along with community halls as a support for the entire village to be together in this development plan.

Electricity, access to drinking water without constraints, access roads, schools and pre-schools with adequate human and physical resources, health centres, a factory to generate employment are some of those basic requirements the village uplift project has identified as the requirements in the village level.

Under the project 52 km of access roads are already repaired and reconstructed which includes 150 roads. This includes repairing and reconstructing drenches on the side of the roads as well.

Constructing play grounds and community halls will make the lives of the village people more comfortable.

Providing housing facilities for villagers living in adverse living conditions is another aspect of the project. Under the concept of `Diriya Piyasa', houses for 150 families are already provided and it is continuing to do so. In addition a house will be built for a family of a war hero.

Livelihood development

The agriculture sector plays a big role in these areas in the livelihood development programs. Hence, constructing anicuts, irrigation canals, etc., is important to develop a village. In addition agriculture equipment is given to each paddy field of a village.

Fishing harbours are built for those villages that mostly depend on fishing as a livelihood. One such place would be the Thaladuwa village of the Negombo DS division.

To all these development activities the community contribution has been 20 per cent in all cases. The people of the villages are ready to directly participate in the development programs and what they require is only a formal mechanism for decision-making and project planning, which is happening under the `Jana Sabha' concept.

Developing home based industries such as producing bakery items, sweet products and yoghurt production and several other food products.

To develop the poultry and livestock sector assisting the farmers to develop managing the dairy cattle and poultry industry is another concept that is implemented in each village in respect to available resources.

Developing enthusiasm for Small and Medium Enterprises is another aspect in upbringing the livelihood of the people. Especially to empower the women of the village home based textile industry is one of the focuses and already 50 sewing machines are distributed in these 17 villages.

Developing personality

Repairing boat harbours

The physical development would not entirely assure a sustainable development of a community. People need to be strengthened with knowledge and discipline.

In order to meet this aim, the village uplift project focus on developing the existing public and school libraries in a more enhanced nature while providing libraries to those villages that do not have a library facility.

Community based health programs, caring for the elders, children as well as looking after the well-being of expecting and lactating mothers is another aspect the project is developing giving the entire village a sense of responsibility. People of the villages will be more concentrated towards their temple, church, kovil or the mosque.

According to the ministry statistics and data the model village project will benefit 12,000 families and depending on the improvements the ministry will be expanding the project further in the future.

Achieving a balanced regional development is the key to success in countries like Sri Lanka, since we are a nation of villages thriving with microeconomics. Hence, it plays a greater role in the development of the whole nation.