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Samurdhi self-service retail economic centres to be set up islandwide

Panadura group correspondent Kapila Somaratne

Samurdhi Minister R. D. Sirisena said Samurdhi assistance is not a bountiful package distributed among the poor families in this country to get their help to keep the Government in power but a very helpful package to increase the income of the poor families engaged in self-employment. Therefore the Government decided to open Economic Self-Service Retail Centres in rural towns to help the Samurdhi families to sell their products in the open market. Very soon the Samurdhi Movement would be a non-political movement.

He was addressing a Janahamuwa at Bandaragama Maithri Hall after opening the first Samurdhi Economic Retail Centre called the Samurdhi Swayan Seva Centre in Bandaragama Town on Monday.

The Minister said the Samurdhi Authority has decided to open similar Economic Retail Centres in rural towns in the country. The Samurdhi families could sell their products for a reasonable price and the public could purchase the products.

During the period of the last regime the People's Alliance turned the Samurdhi beneficiaries to be their political helpers. Some well-to-do people also received Samurdhi assistance and the needy families were neglected. Under the present Government the poor families benefited very much. The objectives of the Samurdhi Movement was to build an equal society supporting the poor families to raise their heads. The Minister said the Government has taken all possible steps to bring peace to the country and the people must be vigilant about the activities of the opponents who are trying to sabotage the peace process by spreading false propaganda.

Sunil Jayantha Navaratne, Director General of the Samurdhi Authority said the Government is spending millions of rupees on the Samurdhi Movement. The Samurdhi beneficiaries are engaged in self-employment and are producing various items. Therefore the Samurdhi Authority with the collaboration of the Ministry decided to open Economic Centres in the rural towns enabling them to sell the produce of the Samurdhi beneficiaries.

Bandaragama Divisional Secretary Chandraprema Gamage also spoke.

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