Development projects uplift lives of rural people
Hambantota, which is one of the most underprivileged districts in the
country has become a growth centre today with massive development
projects launched by the government.
Mega development projects the Hambantota port, airport, roads and
industrial parks that are under construction has changed the agro-based
economy of the district to a industrial and service hub.
 Apart from these mega infrastructure projects several rural
development projects have been implemented by the government to uplift
the lives of the people. According to the latest poverty statistics
Hambantota is still the poorest district. In the country with the lowest
official poverty line Rs. 2,928 (minimum expenditure per person, per
month to fulfil the basic needs) lower than Rs. 3,038 the national
poverty line.
However, the situation is fast changing with new projects being
implemented by the government under different programs.
The Ministry of Nation Building recently organised a media tour to
demonstrate the ongoing rural development projects launched in the
district. Large sums of money have been invested under the Gamaneguma,
Gemidiriya, Maganeguma and Jathika Saviya programs for infrastructure
and livelihood development projects in rural villages of the district.
Under the Gemidiriya Community Development and Livelihood Improvement
Project of the Ministry of Nation Building Rs.922.80 million has been
allocated for development in 204 GN divisions in the district. In
addition the Gamaneguma program has allocated Rs.346.62 million for the
district.
Gemidiriya has disbursed Rs.389.21 million for livelihood
development, Rs.164.26 million for infrastructure development and
Rs.91.72 million for capacity building of the people. Total amount
disbursed is Rs.645.19 million. These funds have been disbursed directly
to the community through 236 village organisations, the registered
companies established by Gemidiriya.
The capacity building fund of a village organisation is used to
provide financial assistance for the youth to follow vocational training
courses. The objective is addressing unemployment among rural youth.
There are around 2000 youth who have obtained loans and followed
vocational training courses and 888 of them have found jobs or started
self-employment ventures. The capacity building fund has also been used
to set up rural IT centres in villages. Already 117 IT centres have been
set up in the district and they cater to a range of IT and communication
needs of the villages.
Gemidiriya has launched 279 rural infrastructure projects addressing
long felt needs of villages. The participatory development approach
followed by the project provides the decision-making power to the
community and the priority of such infrastructure projects are decided
by the community themselves.
The project funds only 70% of the cost of the infrastructure project
and the community contribute 10% cost in cash and 20% in labour. Of the
279 infrastructure sub projects 166 have been completed with Rs.164.26
million project funds and Rs.58.53 community contribution. Among the
infrastructure projects there are 44 multipurpose buildings, 42 rural
road development projects (22.5 km), 14 culverts, 16 drinking water
supply projects and 78 sanitation projects.
Under the livelihood development Gemidiriya provides capital,
technology, market linkages and entrepreneurship skills for the members
of the village organisation to start new ventures or develop their
existing ventures. The community has been organised in small groups and
there are 27,712 members in 4,443 small groups.
The members have saved Rs.57.88 million in their small groups and
have obtained Rs.29.37 million loans from the small groups. Village
Savings and Credit Organisation (VSCO) the micro finance fund of the
village have released Rs.497.36 million project loans and has earned Rs.
54.51 million interest income.
The fund maintains over 95% of the loan recovery rate. Agro-projects
such as seed paddy production, paddy cultivation under Sri method,
poultry farming, animal husbandry, industries such as coir production,
coconut based industries, dress making, brass industry, pottery are
among the successful livelihood projects started by the members.
They have increased their income and obtained financial assistance to
further expand their businesses.
|
‘Mahinda Chintana’
fulfilled aspirations of villages
During the first four years of President
Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government, it has fulfilled the
aspirations of villages in development efforts, pledged
according to his manifesto in 2005 ‘A Brighter Future’ his
manifesto for the Presidential Election 2010 has given
priority to rural development and it says:
The strength of the country is the
strength of the village.
‘Gama Neguma’ instead of transforming the
village into a prosperous place for its inhabitants, using
the village as a resource centre for the urban population
was the strategy that was implemented during the colonial
era. As a result, while the city developed with all the
facilities, villages were turned into places without even a
road or a vehicle to carry a patient to a hospital. Due to
this urban areas became densely populated with industrious
people, while people with less means were left in the
village. The pathetic situation of children leaving their
village schools to urban schools commenced from that point
onwards.
Political parties with cruel and hateful
tendencies soon took advantage of this situation and misled
the youth and turned them into insurgents which killed
hundreds of thousands of such youth.
Farmers who treated their lands with
utmost devotion were turned labourers in their own lands
since they had to sell their lands in order to survive. All
governments that came into power after Independence should
take the responsibility for this very sad and distressing
outcome.
Until the village is established once
again with all the necessary facilities for the people to
live comfortably, and until such time the village is
restored as a centre of prosperity, the ‘Gama Neguma’
program will be continued. All roads in the villages will be
concreted.
Through the implementation of proper
strategies in infrastructure, livelihood and social
development, I will develop all 16,000 villages in our
country to be transferred into prosperous units by the year
2016. |
|
