The story of proven success

Providing openings for all:

By Dhaneshi YATAWARA

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The country seems to be reaching a turning point. People are feeling the difference. It becomes evident if one could consider the series of incidents that took place just within the last few months.

Though mega publicity was not given, last week one incident took place giving us a hint of a long distance plan which can be quite strenuous. How difficult the operation could be the officials were determined to carry on since it is the need of the hour.

Ministry of Nation Building handed over bulldozers and the like to the Army at an event headed by the Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa MP last week.

"These equipment are to clear the lands recently liberated by the Army, especially in the Mannar region," Secretary to the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, W.K.K. Kumarasiri told us explaining the total process.

"These areas are totally destroyed by the LTTE, building five to six feet deep trenches and huge bunker lines. The area should be demined first and cleared and this vast paddy land, known as the 'rice bowl' need to be cultivated again," Kumarasiri added.

Uma Oya Multi purpose project in full swing

Gama Neguma program

As Kumarasiri added before the people could resettle in these areas it need to be cleared from deadly traps; tanks and irrigation canals to be fixed; water and electricity supply put in place. This is a long-term program yet it need to be started somewhere. Praise should go to the Government for their long-sighted decisions to carry on the development and the eradication of terrorism at the same time.

According to statistics available in the year 2002 the contribution to GDP from the Western Province was 52%. The rest was from the other areas of the country. But by 2007 the Western Province contribution was 49% and from other areas of the country increased to 51%. "This itself shows the positive results of the Government's efforts in upbringing rural areas," Kumarasiri added.

Land of village communities

The key program of our development process is the rural uplift or better known as 'Gama Neguma'. This is the major rural development program of the National Development Plan.

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

For a long time our country has been a land of village communities. Large majority of the population lives in the rural areas. Therefore, any development initiative should be given due recognition to this reality, if it is to be successful. The Government believes that our village, while retaining its strengths and impressive features, can be developed as a micro centre of growth - with the vision that village has to be 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 60 years of post-independent era, no significant progress has been achieved to bring about a change in lifestyle of rural masses to acceptable levels.

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.

This program intends to prepare an integrated village development plans with community participation targeting all development efforts to achieve a common objective and to make opportunities for the rural community to participate actively in their economic, social, cultural and moral development efforts. This would empower the rural community to ensure their total commitment and contribution in the development process.

In this backdrop rural livelihood development and infrastructure development for economic resurgence and social development goes simultaneously.

"All the Grama Niladhari divisions are presently continuing with Gama Neguma programs islandwide, except in uncleared areas," Kumarasiri added. According to this, well experienced senior civil servant, the project has shown remarkable results. As mentioned earlier the GDP contribution from other parts of the country increasing from 48% to 52% within one year since the start of Gama Neguma in 2006 is a successful story.

Eradicating poverty and terror

Yet this effort has not stopped. Wherever our lands are liberated from the Tiger clutches by our valiant soldiers the Government is ready to start the development process.

This happened in the East and it was a total success. " Now we are ready to start with the newly liberated Mannar area," Kumarasiri added. With the help of the Sri Lanka Army the Government took the initial step last week.

People witness these changes happening right in front of their eyes. It is not surprising that they would express their fullest acceptance by selecting and re-selecting the UPFA Government in every part of the country.

"The total North and East provinces holds over 100,000 acres of paddy lands.

And developing these lands can give an immense boost to the whole country," the Secretary added.

Already the Ministry of Public Administration has taken the necessary steps to registering the people, providing Identity Cards to the people of Mannar.

They lost most of these items a normal citizen is entitled due to the LTTE threats. Under this new step issuing birth certificates, passports and developing the civil administration is taking place along with the initiation of development projects.

Hydro civilization

We were a nation of giants who built tanks and irrigation systems that amazed the world. Being an agro based economy, water is an essential part of Sri Lankans. Our predecessors were expert hydro engineers. Hence, we owned the Malwathu oya - Kala oya irrigation system, Mahaweli - Amban river irrigation system and Walawe - Kirindi Oya irrigation system.

To bring prosperity to Wellassa and the Southern part of the country Government took a great step by initiating the Uma Oya multi purpose project. Effort to use the massive water body of the Uma Oya to nation's development dates back to half a century. According to recent studies this can generate 700 million units of electricity. Previously, it was to set up two hydro power plants to generate power, using waters of Uma Oya. These plans were getting delayed to many reasons and the present Government took the decision to accelerate the program.

This project diverted the traditional development programs that were focusing on Agriculture and electricity.

In addition to this mega project, Weheragala and Kekiriobada projects in the Hambanthota district, Wemedilla Project in the Matale district, Weelioya project in Moneragala district and Rambukkan Oya project to serve the Ampara district is in progress. These are in addition to the 1,000 tanks development program (Wewu Dahasa) to rebuild and renovate irrigation systems throughout the country.

With all this, the final aim is to achieve a sustainable development in the village, region and country leading to ethnic harmony and peace. The people's response to this untiring effort to provide similar opportunities to all social and economic groups was evident at the recently held Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provincial elections. Anyone can give any sort of comment but at the end the reality lies with the average citizen of the country.

Berty Premalal Dissanayake, CM - North Central Province

"Achieve a sustainable development. The North Central Province needs development along with an economical uplift. I will be taking all the possible steps to strengthen the people more and more. We can't control the oil prices or the prices of commodities. Sometimes it can be beyond our reach."The agriculture sector needs lot of support, such as sustainable water supply for their crops, fertilizer subsidies. We need to repair and restore the existing irrigation tanks and canals.In addition, we need to introduce alternative crops to the farmers. The dairy industry has lot of potentials to grow. Farmers need to be educated on these subjects. And I hope to bring up the dairy sector by educating and strengthening the dairy farmer. I hope to set up stalls selling milk and dairy products in every town.

The farmers don't know how to obtain the maximum yield from the milch cows they own. They need to be educated and we need a change in the thinking pattern as well. And of course introducing alternative crops to the farmers.

Cultivating the same crop over a period of time is not favourable on a long-term basis.

We succeeded in introducing corn cultivation and during six years it was extended for over 60,000 acres. There was a 50% - 60% development in the education sector during my time. The quality of a school depends on its resources. So we need to provide more and more facilities and resources to schools so they will have no difference from the other sophisticated schools.

Mahipala Herath, CM - Sabaragamuwa Province

"I promise the people an honest and fine governance. During that period I will give timely decisions bringing about a sustainable development to people. I am quite confident that I will get the full support of the masses."

These areas are with lots of economical potential to grow. Investors should pay their attention to these areas as well. There are a lots of potential to widen the capacity of the tourism industry.

Especially with the upgrading of the Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala is expected to receive, we can boost the industry to a greater extent. In addition an out door zoological garden is to be built by the Government. It will definitely create job opportunities for the youth in the area.

It could be a very good income generation path of wide variety. On the other hand, developing the cultivation of minor export crops and tea, rubber, coconut cultivations are highly beneficial economically. These people only need a good encouragement. They will perform miracles if proper guidance is given.

I have seen it in the past, hence I can guarantee successful results. In order to bring in the business community to invest in these trades, we plan to have discussions with the President and as well as the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Board.And the development of infrastructure facilities should take place, i.e.

this would include mainly repairs and reconstruction of the road network as well as upgrading water supply, electricity power supply and the drainage systems.