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by Uditha Kumarasinghe

Programmes focused on the alleviation of poverty have been the main focus of all governments since independence, but all efforts failed to bring about a substantial reduction in poverty.

Minister R. A. D. Sirisena

However, since its inception concerted efforts have been made through the Samurdhi movement to alleviate poverty in the country by providing financial assistance to more than half of the country's population who are hit by poverty in addition to providing infrastructure facilities for their economic and social empowerment.

Samurdhi Minister R. A. D. Sirisena interviewed by the Daily News on the future objectives of the Samurdhi movement said the escalation of the economic crisis has directly led to poverty.

Increase in poverty leads to malnutrition. Therefore Samurdhi movement has taken over the challenge to uplift the socio-economic conditions of a targeted group who have been neglected by the entire society.

So we have to start from this point. First we have to take steps to change misconceptions created among the public on the Samurdhi movement.

According to the present consensus, we cannot be satisfied with the socio, economic and political direction the country had taken during the past few years. The present challenges faced by the country are the result of wrong strategies followed in the past. The economic crisis or the ethnic conflict are the side effects of these problems.

The major misconception created in society is that the "Samurdhi" is only a mere subsidy programme. During the past few years this subsidy programme and politics were highly intertwined with each other. An impression was created among politicians that they can come to power by brandishing a subsidy package to the poor. The politicians had compelled the public into this opinion. This is one of the major errors which has to be immediately rectified.

He said the intention of the Government is to wean away the public from this mentality and inculcate in them the notion that the Samurdhi programme is a dynamic process which guides low income groups to overcome their poverty and put them on their feet. In order to make this endeavour a success, the Government has to face several challenges.

The first task is to build confidence among the public on the vision of the Samurdhi movement because majority of the people have identified "Samurdhi" as a political tool . In this context, steps should be taken to depoliticise the Samurdhi movement.

In order to bring forward this movement, the efficiency and the productivity of the Samurdhi Development Officers (SDOs) should be improved. During the past few years these officers had been used for various political purposes. Therefore the SDOs did not have a proper vision of the Samurdhi movement.

According to the Minister the programmes of the Samurdhi movement should be transparent enabling the benefits to accrue to the poorest of the poor. At present, the Samurdhi Ministry has implemented several practical programmes to eradicate poverty among the poor.

When the present Government came to power, steps were taken to depoliticise the Samurdhi movement. Yet even today there are complaints made regarding the Samurdhi programme, specially the cut down in the Samurdhi subsidy allegedly on political grounds.

The Government has encouraged the public to pinpoint any wrong doing in the implementation of the Samurdhi programme with genuine interest so that remedial action could be taken.

He said all three major political parties (PA,UNP and the JVP) complain that the Samurdhi subsidy has been withheld from nearly 1.5 million of their supporters of each party. Even today, the Government provides Samurdhi relief to 1,875,000 Samurdhi beneficiary families.

The question is that isn't there any PA, UNP or JVPers within these 1,875,000 beneficiaries. We request all political parties only to be vigilant on the eligibility of those to be selected for Samurdhi benefits-whether they are genuinely poor or not. They can complain about the people who have obtained the Samurdhi subsidy in a fraudulent manner.

The Minister said civil society and the political parties should extend their cooperation to rectify this error.

In order to overcome the existing shortcomings in the Samurdhi movement, a new programme named "Samurdhi Punarjeewana programme" has been implemented by the Ministry at Divisional Secretariat level. Under this programme, the Ministry discusses with the political authority, Government officials and the civil society regarding their complaints and various suggestions on the Samurdhi programme.

The Ministry has decided to effectively utilise its human and material resources to empower the Samurdhi beneficiary families. The Ministry will conduct a continuous dialogue with low income families to overcome their shortcomings by emphasising their strength and creative talents.

In this exercise, if the Samurdhi beneficiaries have faced challenges and obstacles, the Ministry mechanism will provide necessary guidelines and assurance to them. As a special feature, the Ministry will organise these people into five groups. This method has helped organise several low income families under one wing who have similar ideas relating to their socio-economic problems. During the past few years, the function of these small groups was unsuccessful due to political interference.

Strengthening of these small groups of Samurdhi beneficiaries helps to increase the savings habit among low income families facilitating to rebuild the Samurdhi movement as a people's movement eliminating politics.

Samurdhi has also focused attention on new income generating avenues to take maximum advantage from the existing resources. The target group of the Samurdhi programme is mainly dependent on agriculture. Samurdhi is to link with local and international institutions to create more employment opportunities to Samurdhi beneficiaries.

The Samurdhi programme has already introduced several new business ventures such as quarrying, household retail shops, weekly fairs, animal husbandry projects to empower the low income families.

As one of the key objectives the Samurdhi movement has focused attention on the reasons which have led to the increase in poverty. Samurdhi Social Development Foundation has implemented an anti-smoking programme to counter the smoking habit which has become one of the key reasons for the increase in poverty among low income groups. Annually Samurdhi Flag Day is conducted on May 31 which is also the World Anti-Smoking Day. The proceeds from the sale of Samurdhi Flags are utilised to assist the low income families. Only the last year, over 760 houses have been constructed throughout the country utilising these funds.

Meanwhile Samurdhi Social Security Fund has created an effective social security network to assist the poor in their essential social requirements. Under the Samurdhi Nena Nuwana Scholarship Scheme, assistance has been given to the children of Samurdhi beneficiary families to conduct their higher education.

The Samurdhi Housing Development lottery has been introduced to overcome the housing problem of the poor. "Samurdhi Kantha Pilisarana programme" has been implemented to provide a helping hand to the widows of Samurdhi families.

Special programmes have also been launched in collaboration with the Folk Art Centre to bring forth the creative talents of Samurdhi recipients in the artistic sphere. At present, Samurdhi banking concept is successfully conducted. Samurdhi banks are the only banks in Sri Lanka which grant loans to the poor based on trust.

"At present some large-scale businessmen have defaulted on huge loans obtained from banks. "However, the country's poor have given a very good message to the entire world by successfully returning their loans obtained from Samurdhi banks.

At present, the repayment of loans by the Samurdhi beneficiaries is 100 per cent. Although having so many excuses to avoid returning these loans, they have never neglected to return loans due to their self respect. The poor have clearly shown that they are only poor through want, but they are very rich in human qualities."

When attempts are made to depoliticise the Samurdhi movement, steps should be taken to prevent Samurdhi Development Officers (SDOs) from actively engaging in politics.

At present, nearly 60 SDOs are acting as Pradeshiya Sabha members.

If the SDOs engage in politics, it may be difficult for them to grant relief to the poor. But the majority of SDOs have understood the actual vision of the Samurdhi movement.

This is a fact to be admired. " I will make a request from the Government to divest these SDOs from politics."

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