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| Monday, 15 November 2004 |
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Poor masses to reap the benefits of the budget by L.B. Wijayasiri in Kandy Finance Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said in Kandy on Saturday that under the 1st Budget of the Alliance Government 30,000 more jobs in the public services would be provided to unemployed youth in addition to 42,000 graduates who were already given jobs. Another 400,000 indirect jobs would be made available for the unemployed under the new rural development projects and a higher salary increase for Public Servants could be assured. Dr. Amunugama made these revelations at a ceremony held at the Kandyan Art Association Cultural Centre, Kandy to distribute letters of permanent appointments to about 3,000 Samurdhi Development Officers in the Public Service. Deputy Samurdhi Minister Rohana Dissanayake was also present. He added that a number of proposals were expected to be announced in the Budget through various subjects with the view to uplift the living conditions of the people by bringing down their cost of living and poverty to its minimum. Out of those subjects most important one was the proposal to minimize the poverty through raising rural economy. Under the previous UNF rule they maintained a metropolitan economy and a political culture that supported that system of economy under which 48 percent of the national income was distributed among well to do families in the Western Province while only a 10 to 20 percent was given to rural areas. It was called the "trickle down effect" under which expected the poor rural people to be satisfied with a few drops that were trickled down from the huge well full of wealth enjoyed by few capitalist class families in the Western Province. The living condition of the rural poor, as a result, was bulled down by about 80 percent lower degree. During the past two years tax concessions were given to rogues like those who cheated the customs, those who smuggled narcotic drugs, gold bars and even those who were subjected to fines imposed by Courts. They enjoyed billions and billions that could have been spent for the benefit of poor people. Under the present government the laws were enacted to recover those taxes. By now all those defaulted taxes, other than income taxes, were recovered for which he was grateful to relevant officers, added Dr. Amunugama. By the first Budget, funds would be set aside for Education, Health, Transport and Samurdhi, more than what was allocated by the UNF governments for those subjects. It was an election pledge of the Alliance. There were proposals to implement 6 development projects in each AGA division in the Country with the view to raise the income of Samurdhi recipients so that they could be saved from being dependents on Samurdhi assistance. It could be a challenge and Public Servants and all others concerned should have to take steps to face that challenge. Under the "development war" launched by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga a major economic upheaval - a revolutionary change for the benefit of the rural poor people was expected. In that context Samurdhi Development Officials would be required to shoulder a major responsibility and commitment. Since 55 percent of the country's population were Samurdhi recipients it was focused on raising their level of income under the new project. A separate Bank would be set up exclusively to provide financial assistance to rural small and medium scale industry, added Dr. Amunugama. Deputy Minister of Power and Energy Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Deputy Minister of Samurdhi Rohana Dissanayake and Kandy District Secretary A.M.L.B. Polgolla also spoke. |
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