Next Economic Centre in Kandy

BY L. B. WIJAYASIRI in Kandy

THE next Economic Centre will be established in Kandy to facilitate agricultural producers to get their produce marketed without any hinderance, said Finance and Planning Industries and Investment Development Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the rehabilitation of Murapola Ela Irrigation Scheme in the Hewaheta constituency.

Amunugama said the larger proportion of the population are under the poverty line.

"As a Government, we have to ensure that poor people are benefitted with those funds when they are utilised.

"It is the objective of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse as well.

"The UNP is a capitalist party who have, throughout the history, represented and served for the capitalists while deceiving the common man."

Being a person with the common touch, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse is aware of the common man's sufferings."

He is committed to uplift the living condition of workers, peasants and other people. If one looks with open mind, he will realise that every piece of legislation, introduced in the Parliament by Bandaranaike Governments are to benefit the suppressed and protection of their rights and democratic freedom of the country."

The UNP had done the other way about. They did everything to deny the common man of their rights and strengthen capitalist's economy.

If they were really interested in working for the benefit of the peasants, they should have worked for the development of areas like Hewaheta and Uda Dumbara.

All the Water Supply Schemes inclusive of Kandy South, major water supply project for which agreements had been signed with Denmark government are completed.

They are hoping to solve the water problem in Kandy district by implementing those schemes. The Government received large amount of funds from Japanese Aid Scheme.

A portion of those funds had been provided to irrigation schemes like Murapola Ela. He was hoping to provide Rs. 100 million every year. The Government expects to develop livestock and uplift the living condition of the milk producers.

They had taken many steps from the time they were elected to power towards achieving of that objective. Today the local contribution to the milk powder production was 20 per cent. Their target was to increase it up to 50 per cent.

More livestock development centres should have to be set up. The price paid for local milk producer would be increased up to Rs. 25 per litre at the earliest possible, Dr. Amunugama said.

A separate bank, named SME bank was established with an investment of Rs. 5,000 million exclusively for the Development of Small and Medium Scale industries..

Financial assistance would be provided to those industrialists through this bank.

Hewaheta SLFP organiser and Provincial Councillor Mahinda Abeykoon and Senkadagala SLFP organiser and Chief Government Whip of the Central Provincial Council Dilum Amunugama also participated.