President Maithripala Sirisena says an island wide program will be implemented to free the rural people who are facing difficulties due to the loans they have taken from private financial institutes at exorbitant interest rates.
He said the proposal in this regard will be presented through budget proposals – 2018.
The President was speaking at the national ceremony to launch Grama Shakthi People’s Movement to alleviate poverty, held yesterday (20th Oct.) at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.
The Grama Shakthi People’s Movement implemented under a concept of President Sirisena to alleviate all kinds of poverty in Sri Lankan nation by building a strong and respectful economy.
In the first phase of the project, opportunities will be given to the people in 5,000 selected Grama Seva Divisions to build people’s corporative societies and win the market through courageous and strong organization.
One of the objectives of this project is to give strength to implement rural development plans with the proper understanding of the market opportunities, with the contribution of women and youth.
The President further said that when fulfilling respective duties, the priority should be given for the conscience rather than the circulars and orders. He also said that all the Districts and Divisional Secretaries should be the pioneers in the development process but not the leaders in the field of administration.
The President informed the Ministers and the MPs that they should give priority for the Grama Shakthi People’s Movement in their development agendas implemented across their respective districts. President Sirisena said that he is expected to hold progress review meetings at district and regional level in future.
The President also said that he believed all the citizens who love the country will join hands with the Grama Shakthi People’s Movement, to free the people from the poverty while making prosperous their economic status as well as the economy of the country.
The launch of the national program of the Grama Shakthi People’s Movement was held yesterday and symbolically implemented the program related to 1,000 villages, connecting the updated Gami Diriya 2040 villages program under the Grama Shakthi program and the official announcement of the contribution of private sector to the national program of poverty alleviation.
Also, during the event a program was launched jointly with the Airtel Company to provide information technology knowledge to the rural youth.
Loan facilities for entrepreneurial youth were provided under the Agriculture Development Project established under the Presidential Secretariat by the International Agricultural Development Foundation.
A special award was presented to the President by the International Agricultural Development Foundation in recognition of his great service for the field of agriculture of this country as well as for the food production process of the country while declaring the year 2018 as the Food Production Year.
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