Achievements under Mahinda Chinthana:

Fulfilling people's aspirations

by Shanika Sriyananda

Amidst of accusation by certain segments of the political domain that no significant change has been delivered to fill the socio-economic gap under 'Mahinda Chinthanaya' the government replied that it was satisfied with the progress that had been achieved during the last two years while bringing military victories to regain peace and defeat decades-long terrorism.

The Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake in a special interview with the 'Sunday Observer' while discussing the progress of the development projects said that in another two to three years time people would be able to reap the benefits of what the government had offered under Mahinda Chinthanaya concept.

"The government has to steer the country on a new course to bring about the feeling of national consciousness of the people. The government thinks of the country first rather than anything else. So, we have been going on this path and we have achieved our targets to some extent. But still there are more to be done", he said.

Prime Minister Wickremanayake said that tackling terrorism was the main target and at the same time, the government had to make the country self sufficient as well in basic goods which the country could produce and grow successfully.

"The soil and weather patterns are fine to grow our own food. So the government has taken steps to launch a massive agricultural campaign and within the next two or three years the country will become self sufficient in all our requirement".

Job opportunities

"But, the only area where we can not achieve self sufficiency is still the oil. It is a big problem and we have to depend on imports. On the other hand, we have to import wheat flour as no corn can be grown here.

As the government does not intend to make the western farmers rich we encourage rice based products. The other factor is milk powder, on which we have been dependant through imports. This problem can be solved by providing fresh milk. We have to import wheat flour as corn cannot be grown here.

This year's budget has given all the necessary avenues and encouragements to those who are involved in these sectors", he added.

The development of infrastructure, energy and education are the other important sectors in which the government has achieved a marked improvement during these two years. We have already commenced the construction of many projects in these sectors.

"We have given employments for over 200,000 people in the government sector. We have strengthen the cardres in the three Forces and the Police", Prime Minister said.

Commenting on the construction work on the maga development projects he said that the Hambantota Port, one of the major development projects implemented under Mahinda Rajapaksa government, will create a large number of employment opportunities.

"The estimated cost of this fully fledged transit harbour is around US $ 360 million and the financial assistance will be provided by the Chinese government", he said.

The preliminary work of the development of the Colombo South Harbour at a cost of US $ 300 million has been commenced while the construction work of the Galle Harbour, which is a regional harbour, has been commenced under the financial assistance given by the Japanese government. The Oluvil Harbour will commence construction work shortly, under the financial assistance given by the Danish government.

The construction work of the second International Airport - the Weerawila Airport which is expected to generate large number of job opportunities has already been commenced.

"There are warnings of a power crisis in the future and our objective now is to face this challenge. In addition to the looming power crisis, the demand for electricity grows annually.

As a responsible government, the Mahinda Rajapaksa government is ready to tackle the power crisis too. The government with the aim of electrifying the villages has completed several rural power supply projects, where over 79 per cent of the rural houses are now electrified", Prime Minister Wickremanayake said adding that another major objective of the government is to set up a Regulatory Authority to look into the energy sector.

"Power generation projects, the Upper Kothmale Hydro Power project, Norochcholai Coal Power Project and the Kerawalapitiya power project - are on the right track. "The Katukurunda-Matara, Ratnapura-Balangoda-Bandarawela, Gampola-Nuwara Eliya and Gampola-Nawalapitiya are the major highways that have been successfully completed during the past two years.

Twenty five per cent of the construction work of the Southern Expressway from Kollawa to Kurundugaha Hetapma have been completed while 70 per cent of the work on the highway stretches from Kurundugaha Hetapma to Matara has also been completed.

"Covering a total distance of 100 kilometres, the Colombo-Kandy Expressway with four lanes will be completed by 2012. Covering a network of 900 kilometres, A and B grade highways have been re-done.

"The estimated expenditure on all highway projects is around Rs. 58,575 million. Under these projects the access roads to Southern Expressway and Habarana-Kantale, Mahiyanganaya-Padiyatalawa, Badulla-Chenkalady and Puttlam-Anuradhapura highways were being re-done.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to construct 20 flyovers in Colombo and in the suburbs to reduce traffic congestion. Giving priority to the Eastern Province 17 new bridges will come up in the Eastern Province.

"Health sector is another area that priority has been given under the Mahinda Chinthanaya. With the aim of reducing the doctor-patient ratio, over 2980 doctors and 157 dental surgeons have been given appointments. Over 3497 nurses have also been given appointments while 6500 new staffers have been recruited to strengthen the state healthcare institutions.

"Providing scanner machines to the Cancer Hospital, Maharagama and the Matara Hospital is a fulfilment of a long felt need. A new Cancer Treatment Unit at the Karapitiya Hospital will be opened soon.

New equipment for easy diagnosis of cancer have been provided to the Cancer Hospital Maharagama, Kandy Teaching Hospital and the Colombo South Teaching Hospital. "Among major achievements during the past two years are the implementation of the Senaka Bibile Pharmaceutical Policy and the National Authority for Tobacco and Alcohol to reduce tobacco smoking," he said.

The Premier said that over Rs. 1,000 million has been allocated for the 'Jathika Saviya' village re-awakening program under the Samurdhi Development Program and the government has targeted nearly 80,000 livelihood development projects in 4,000 villages.

Of the total 9,509 projects have been completed in the areas of industries, marketing, development, animal husbandry, agriculture and self-employment.

"Over 100,000 in 740 villages have been benefited under Gami Diriya Project of the Gama Neguma Program. We will expand the Gami Diriya to 1,000 villages before the end of this year. Over 80,000 people have been given clean drinking water and infrastructure facilities like roads have been provided under these village based projects", he said.

English proficiency

According to Premier Wickremanayake, the Samurdhi Development Program, which is one of the major people friendly programs, has helped the poor people to stand on their own feet without the support of relief assistance. "The vision of the President Rajapaksa was to grant legal recognition to the community by registering them under the Samurdhi Villages Company Act has become a reality".

Within a year the savings and investments of community, in 836 villages have exceeded to Rs. 400 million and one of the fine features of the project is that the ability of rural women to strengthen their earning capabilities have been improved under Diriya Kantha program.

He said that the government, intends to uplift the standards of education, which is one of the main pillars in the run to development, took several steps to convert the present education system a job oriented education. "The government has implemented programs to make the education more job oriented education to suit the present job market.

So we have taken steps to strengthen the vocational training. When a person is trained through education for a job, he or she would not find difficult to get a job. The government get considerable number of opportunities for foreign employment in countries like South Korea and Cyprus. But the Foreign Employment Bureau does not have the required trained aspirants - to be sent them for employment.

So we have to strengthen the training institutes and are also conducting English classes, which is the important qualification which the foreign employers look for".

In 2005 allocations for education was Rs. 63,557 million, which was increased to Rs. 88,712 million in 2006. The benefits of information technology are given to the rural areas through 1000 schools, 100 resources centres and 8 provincial computer centres under school net.

All Maha Vidyalayas and Central Colleges have been provided with laboratories, language centres, Computer centres, libraries and stadiums.

"English is being given prominence in schools, especially in rural schools, as the government thinks learning English is vital for the development of the country. The Centre of Excellence in English Education has been set up for the purpose of making every child proficient in English Language.

The government has taken steps to recruit and train new teachers to meet this task".

Mid day meal

"Meanwhile, a scholarship scheme was introduced to provide opportunities for the teachers to receive higher education in local and foreign institutions.

The mid day meal program which was a pledged under the Mahinda Chinthanaya is continuing well and provided mid day meals among children in garde 1 to 3 in 6,027 schools.

Over 400 estate schools will be given facilities, in the areas of Badulla, Ratnapura and Nuwara Eliya districts. "Higher education is another sector which was improved during the past two years.

The intake to Universities has been increased and facilities for distance education have been provided to 10 centres set up in various parts of the country.

Rs. 13 million has been allocated to establish the Buddhist Bhikkhu University of Anuradhapura in Manamunawatta. Financial assistance and scholarships abroad have been granted to 45 University teachers to do higher studies. "The government has spent Rs. 2,200 million to strengthen the vocational training sector.

Steps have been taken to expand tertiary education by providing training and education in par with international standards.

The government is also in the process of providing training through vocational training institutes and NAITA for over 100,000 school leavers.

"With the military victories to crush terrorism and to liberate people from the LTTE, the government has taken steps to launch several welfare programs for the armed forces and the Police as a tribute to them. The program to construct 50,000 houses for war heroes is one such program.

"A new National Defence University has been opened to facilitate the service personnel to do higher studies.

During the last two years over 33,000 people have been recruited for the three armed forces and the police", he concluded.