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'Poverty our most dangerous enemy'

by Kuliyapitiya Group Correspondent

"Poverty is our most dangerous enemy. We would be able to defeat poverty through the Samurdhi Movement had we restored sustainable peace". The Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said so at the ceremony held to mark the opening of the Samurdhi Trade Exhibition in Pannala Community Hall.

This exhibition was organised by Pannala Samurdhi Maha Sangamaya.

The Minister added that Samurdhi had been introduced on asimiliar concept as Janasaviya which was President Ranasinghe Premadasa is approach for the elimination of poverty.

The PA Government introduced Samurdhi after 1994. It was a continuation of Janasaviya. The objectives of Samurdhi and Janasaviya are the same. The PA Minister of Samurdhi is a Minister of our Cabinet now. His vision is clear. We can reap the benefits of Samurdhi now. This exhibition proves that.

Since independence, billions of rupees were spent on subsides for the people. That expenditure was a wastage of funds as the people were infested with the subsidy psychosis throughout the period. If that huge amount wasted on subsidies was invested on development, Sri Lanka would be a developed country today. No country could be developed so long as the people suffer from subsidy psychosis.

Katugampola UNP Chief Organiser Upali Dasanayaka, Pannala Divisional Secretary W.A. Shantha Bandara and the General Manager Pannala Samurdhi Maha Sangamaya MS. M.T.K.D. Priyanthi also spoke.

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