Divi Neguma, a major impetus for development

By Dhanesi YATAWARA

Across the country nearly 2.5 million households are saving with the ‘Divi Neguma’ national drive. In addition the Samurdhi Movement generated Rs. 17 billion of compulsory savings, of which Rs. 3 billion is on reserve.

Nearly Rs. 15 billion in voluntary savings are there in over 1,040 Samurdhi Banking Societies functioning throughout the country. These are the most recent achievements of Sri Lanka’s poverty reduction focus.

These details were released to the media at a recent media conference, by the Economic Development Ministry’s Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara.

“The Government’s goal of development is not only to bring in more Foreign Direct Investments to the country.

We need to see that the rural majority are more financially stable, healthy living being benefited through rural development programs such as Divi Neguma and Gama Neguma,” said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, addressing the media.

Commenting on the recent tourism situation in Hikkaduwa, as was reported in the media, Minister Rajapaksa said if the benefits of tourism go to the common people, it serves the Government’s holistic approach. “If the increased number of tourists brings business opportunities for the common street vendor and the rural man in a good way, it is the flow of the benefits,” Minister Rajapaksa said.

It was also stressed that whatever development projects that function incorrectly need to be corrected to give the full benefits to the people.

Budget 2012

Accordingly, the 2012 Budget targets 2.5 million household economies in all Grama Niladhari divisions under a variety of categories. Focus is on coconut, fruit and vegetables cultivation, minor export crops, and grains.

It also targets the development of green house technology, poultry farming, dairy farming and breeding centres for cows. Upgrading and supporting a bigger harvest in marine and inland fisheries as well as in shrimp cultivation is another aspect under focus in 2012.

The 2012 Divi Neguma program also focuses on small industries and craft villages. Developing Divi Neguma entrepreneur villages consisting of production, storage and distribution systems as well as renewable energy projects will provide a solid ground for a sound rural economic development.

The Divi Neguma project was an initiative proposed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the 2011 Budget that initially targeted one million households in all Grama Niladhari divisions in the country. The Economic Development Ministry supplied the seeds to the farmers and the benefactors of Divi Neguma along with technical guidelines and handbooks at the initial stages.

The phase created 1,455,187 successful home economic centres, providing major encouragement and hope for the policy makers to step into phase two. Beneficiaries were predominantly engaged in food production.

Divi Neguma has the potential to create a healthy and pleasant family environment. It was capable of putting 600,000 acres of land to productive use.

The families were benefited with nutritionally rich home consumption items along with an additional income of a minimum of Rs. 3,000 – 5,000 monthly. It also led to an export surplus and high value creation activities.

Self-employment

Under self-employment support programs various sectors have been identified the mobile shops concept was introduced in urban centres by providing leasing schemes. Over 162 vehicles have been distributed initially in Colombo.

This will be popularised in other major townships based on demand Pavement businesses have been re-organised in Pettah, Nugegoda and Galle.

The Gama Neguma program was successful enough to create resourceful villages with more access roads, access to electricity, safe drinking water and availability of proper sanitation facilities. All villages were benefited with quality health and education.

Access to minor irrigation systems was a key step in supporting the livelihood development of those areas as the main income source for the villager was paddy cultivation. Establishing maternity health care centres, pre-schools, market places and storage facilities filled gaps in projects where necessary.

During 2006- 2011, 4,699 such small irrigation projects with a cost of more than Rs. 1,737 million have been completed in various villages scattered around Sri Lanka. In addition, 716,438 farmers got access to water for cultivating 187,960 acres.

Taking the benefits to the rural areas, 7,785 electrification projects have been implemented at a cost of nearly Rs 2,370 million. These schemes have provided access for electricity to 400,467 households.

It has benefited rural schools, hospitals, religious places and access to IT and computers in rural Sri Lanka. Electricity has promoted rural investment, storage, small industries and agricultural processing.

Upgrading access roads to villages is being done through 61,226 projects of concrete roads, small bridges and improvement to rural and agricultural roads. These have been completed at a cost of Rs. 26,124 million. A population of about 700,000 have gained access to such roads.

Community water projects numbering 2,864, with each project having a capacity of 5,000 litres are completed at cost of over Rs. 1,133 million.

This has benefited nearly 504,200 people with access to quality drinking water. This in turn supports improved health standards of the rural community.

Diriya Piyasa, the Samurdhi housing project, has sheltered 18,950 families at a cost of over Rs. 1,200 million. Cadjan-thatched and temporary houses are being converted to quality houses under this project.

In the mission of improving the livelihood of villagers, 14,341 projects targeting agricultural processing, livestock, handicraft, building material, light engineering, carpentry have been promoted. This has created new employment opportunities for nearly 283,876 people, resulting in many successful entrepreneurs at village level.