|
Time to rebuild the nation:
Gama Neguma targets better living conditions
by Dhaneshi YATAWARA
 It
is time to rebuild the nation. At a time where threatened villages were
totally obliterated from the Sri Lankan map it is now the time to remove
the villages stricken with hardships.
It is noteworthy to mention the efforts the Government took so far to
uplift the rural economy even during the most tedious times of the
country.
Balanced approach
Achieving a balanced regional development is the key to success in
countries like Sri Lanka. Since we are a nation of villages thriving
with micro-economics, it plays a greater role in developing the entire
nation.
President
Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a message to the Ministry of Nation Building and
Estate Infrastructure Development said: “I strongly believe that
minimising the deficiencies in the regional development and converting
all sections of the people as stakeholders is the vision of a leader.
The village is considered as the axis of national development and the
`Mahinda Chinthana’ emphasises that achievement of national development
is desired and acquired through successful development of a village.
With an objective of maximum devotion towards nation building the `Gama
Neguma’ was launched by the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate
Infrastructure Development since its inception in the latter part of
2006. `Gama Neguma’ - Village Uplift - is the major rural development
program of the National Development plan.
Majority of the population live in rural areas. If it is to be
successful, any development initiative must give priority to this
reality. Identifying the resources, potentials and development
constraints, infrastructure deficiencies and identified through
community appraisal, the `Gama Neguma’ project carried out a series of
development activities in almost all districts. Under the umbrella of `Gama
Neguma’ started in 2006 in 119 Grama Niladhari (GN) divisions, initially
by the Ministry of Rural Livelihood Development, expanded largely
covering 14,034 GN Divisions by 2009.
The Village Uplift program was transferred to the Ministry of Nation
Building and Estate Infrastructure Development in the latter part of
2006 under the purview of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Country was
divided into six zones appointing a minister for each zone making the
entire process more effective and efficient.
The entire process was under the responsibility of the Minister.
Development zones
Zone one under Minister Jagath Pushpakumara covers Badulla,
Moneragala, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura; Zone Two under Minister Rohitha
Abeygunawardane covers Colombo, Gampaha, Kaluthara and Jaffna; Zone
Three under Minister S.M. Chandrasena covers Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa,
Matale, Kandy and Vavuniya; Zone Four under Minister Gunarathne
Weerakoon covers Galle, Matara, Hambanthota and Kilinochchi; Zone Five
under Minister Salinda Dissanayake covers Kurunegala, Kegalle, Puttlam
and Mannar; Zone Six under Minister Susantha Punchi Nilame covers Ampara,
Trincomalee and Batticaloa.
The uniqueness of the Village Uplift programme is its focus on the
smallest administrative block the GN Division and addressing its
economical, social and cultural problems giving sustainable solutions.
Jana Sabha
One of the significant features of this project is the contribution
of the villagers on the development of their village. The community
contributes 20%-33% of the total value of the project - either by
manpower or material.
In order to rationalise all the development programs and service
delivery mechanisms, the Village Uplift (Gama Neguma) program has
introduced `Jana Sabha’ institutes.
The `Jana Sabha’ comprises the Chief Priest of the Village temple or
the religious leader of that community, Grama Niladhari, Samurdhi
Officer, Principal of the Village school and all the Public Service
officials in relation to the village development. Each and every
villager is an essential part and parcel of the `Jana Sabha’.
These committees are responsible of sketching the village development
plan correctly prioritising the necessities.
The identification of regionally available resources, potentials and
strengths and most importantly development constraints and the socio
economic regional disparities are of utmost importance when considering
Village Uplift.
The Village Uplift (Gama Neguma) implemented through three main
pivots - i.e. construction and improvements of infrastructure
facilities, establishment of livelihoods and creation of a virtuous
society in the villages. Year 2008 was significant for the Village
Uplift program.
During 2008, Village Uplift program was catering to 14,034 GN
Divisions in the entire country and the Government allocated a budget of
14,000 million rupees from the Treasury for the Village Uplift (Gama
Neguma) programme - A significant approach in the entire development
strategy at national level.
In addition, the Ministry of Nation Building directs several foreign
funds to the development programs selected at village level thus
bringing more monetary support for development work of each GN Division.
Infrastructure
In the process of rebuilding and empowering the nation there are
three main objectives - Provision of infrastructure facilities,
improvement of livelihoods and moral uplift of the village community.
The Village Uplift programme ensures that the commitment of `Mahinda
Chinthanaya’ is realised whereby each village is fulfilled with its
necessities.
Electricity, access to drinking water without constraints, access
roads, schools and pre-schools with adequate human and physical
resources, health centres, an industrial factory to generate employment
are some of the basic requirements that are identified.
During 2007/2008 this program developed 19,148 rural roads providing
access to the village to link up with the main national stream giving a
greater boost to the rural entrepreneur. Reconstruction and repairing of
326 bridges is a major achievement.
To repair and reconstruct small and medium scale irrigation channels,
the government has invested 523.1 million rupees in the recent past and
around 1,257 projects have been completed.
Under the Gama Neguma (Village Uplift) program 1,753 electrification
projects were completed so far.
For the livelihood development the Village Uplift program initiated
32,622 self-employment ventures and small scale enterprises in
agricultural and industrial sectors. The Samurdhi Bank has released
3,188 million rupees as soft loans for these businesses.
Progress
With a vision towards a prosperous new Sri Lanka, amidst many
debates, fiascos we are moving forward providing opportunities to all
from social and economic empowerment focusing on balanced sustainable
development in the village, region and country to ethnic harmony and
peace.
While retaining its strengths and impressive features the village can
be developed as a micro centre of growth with the vision that village
has to be a decent and comfortable place for people to live, work and
engage in their cultural and communal activities.
Despite the different rural development approaches taken place over
the past sixty years, no significant progress has been achieved to bring
about a change in lifestyle of rural masses to acceptable levels.
At times the process may become slow, at times it is swift - yet we
are steady. |
