New livelihood program for Northern Province

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

The Economic Development Ministry jointly with the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development and the relevant ministries at provincial level will soon implement a new livelihood development program in the Northern Province. Launched under the Gama Neguma program. It will focus on setting up home based industries for the low income families of the province.

“It is planned to implement the program within the next two weeks,” said Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri. The program will initially be implemented in the Jaffna district and it has been decided to select 5,000 families through Grama Niladharis and Samurdhi officers of villages, the Governor said.

Accordingly, each family will receive Rs. 30,000 to set up a self-employment project - traditional or non traditional.

This was decided on by the District Development Committee headed by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa taking into account the problems faced by many families who had been resettled.