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Colombo District PA candidate and former Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Arjuna Ranatunga said the 'Thirasara Puravara', sustainable township program is a flagship program of the PA Government which catered to the welfare of poor underprivileged urban folk who had been neglected by successive Governments in the past. This program clearly proved that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and the Urban Development, Public Utilities and Housing Minister in particular were extremely sensitive to the needs and aspirations of poor urban dwellers.

Ranatunge was addressing a PA election rally held at Kolonnawa recently. He said the country's indigenous economic system underwent a fundamental change in 1977.

"The Free Market Economy introduced there after created many social tensions. Commercialisation of the country led to an increase in the urban population.

Ad-hoc urban habitats sprang up with more people settling down in cities in proximity to factories and commercial establishments where they were employed. These habitats lacked proper electricity, water and other basic infrastructure facilities due to the neglect and inefficiency of previous Governments. Although previous Governments performed certain public welfare activities, they failed to provide solutions to the problems of the poor urban dwellers.

The lives of these underprivileged urban dwellers had been miserable until the PA Government started catering to their needs through the 'Thirasara Puravara' scheme initiated by President Kumaratunga and Minister Samaraweera.

This program had catered to the needs of the urban underprivileged to improve their lifestyles without relocating them elsewhere.

Programs like the club 20 program started in conjunction with it had helped to equip the children of these underprivileged people with the knowledge and training to face the challenges of the 21st century successfully.

More programs such as the 'Thirasara Puravara' program were needed to develop the country and the PA too needed more youth leaders to implement such programs."

Mr. Ranatunge said, "President Kumaratunga in inviting me to take up politics commented that since sports had given me a sense of discipline to face upto any challenge and give international leadership to my team, I should now enter politics to provide leadership to the development program carried out by the PA in the Colombo District. I have never run away from challenges in my whole life and I am confident that I can surmount this challenge too and ensure my victory and the victory of the PA in the Colombo District."

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