|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 25 September 2003 |
 |
|
 |
Politics | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
| 1,600 jobs in Anuradhapura under Govt's new initiative Lankapuvath - Sri Lanka's rural poor are to be benefited by the Government's new initiative to create more employment opportunities in remote villages with the assistance of the private sector. Action will also be taken to introduce modern technology for agriculture to enable the farmers to produce value added products for the export market. The Government's policy is to develop rural areas to pass the peace dividends to the rural poor as well as people living in Colombo and suburbs, Minister of Enterprise Development, Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion and Constitutional Affairs Prof. G.L. Pieris told Lankapuvath. The Minister disclosed that 1,600 new job opportunities have been provided to rural youth in the Anuradhapura district under the government's new initiative. 750 unemployed youth in Padaviya and Medawachchiya areas were provided with jobs in newly set up apparel factories. Measures will also be taken to assist small and medium scale industrialists in rural areas to obtain their contribution to the economic development of the country. Sri Lanka is on the threshold of a new wave of social and economic development with the Government targeting sustained economic growth of 8 to 10 percent over the next few years. The UNF administration also plans to create two million new jobs over the next few years. Minister G.L. Pieris noted that the creation of more employment opportunities for youth would help to prevent another insurgency in the Island. He added that employment generation through private sector initiatives is crucial if the country is to fulfil the aspirations of the youth who have rebelled twice before in 1971 and 1988. High unemployment and poverty breed crime and provide the fuel to ignite hatred towards the free economic policies and institutions and the private sector. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
