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Samurdhi movement to be depoliticised, expanded - SB

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Steps have been taken to depoliticise the Samurdhi movement in accordance with the Regaining Sri Lanka Programme, expanding the Samurdhi programme in all the North-East areas within the next few weeks, Agriculture, Livestock and Samurdhi Minister S.B.Dissanayake said.

"This depoliticisation move does not mean removing the PA label and fixing the UNP label to the Samurdhi movement. Samurdhi is the best poverty alleviation programme in the world. Therefore, the non-involvement of Samurdhi Development Officers and Samurdhi Managers in active politics will greatly assist the future existence of the movement," he said.

The Minister made these remarks at a seminar held at the BMICH recently to educate District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries on the new vision of the Samurdhi movement.

As a result of the Government change, the Samurdhi movement had to face several difficulties. The main reason is that the Samurdhi movement supported the PA regime at several elections. The Samurdhi movement has been highly politicised due to this reason, he said.

The Minister said even the Parliamentarians, Provincial Council and Pradeshiya Sabha members expressed their displeasure at the Samurdhi movement. Due to these reasons, Samurdhi Development Officers and Samurdhi Managers were frightened and discouraged. "Therefore we should lay emphasis on rebuilding the Samurdhi movement by depoliticising it."

Dissanayake said: "Samurdhi Development Officers or Samurdhi Managers will not be utilised for any future election purposes."

The Minister said initiatives have been taken to commence the Samurdhi movement in all the North-East areas within the next few weeks in which the Samurdhi programme does not operate at present. The Ministry is now recruiting Samurdhi Development Officers and Samurdhi Managers to implement the Samurdhi programme in the North-East provinces.

Meanwhile, the LTTE has also extended their fullest cooperation to commence the Samurdhi movement in the North-East areas. " This is a great success achieved by the Government. The Samurdhi movement will extend its active contribution to renovate the damaged tanks and roads in the North-East provinces, he said.

Samurdhi Minister R.A.D.Sirisena said the major problem encountered is how to take maximum advantage from human resources. If various strategies were formulated since the independence, these plans have not been implemented systematically. Therefore, an attitudinal change should be made among the public by uniting all irrespective of politics to alleviate poverty.

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