Poverty alleviation - vision and achievement

MAHINDA Ralapanawe analyses the success of the Samurdhi programme, launched a decade ago during the tenure of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

THE rural masses and the rural electorate have been a dominant political force in this country. Thus in the initial stages of Sri Lankan economic policy since independence two words which have been in forefront have been "Free" and "Subsidy". There was free education, free Health services etc. We also had subsidies on Rice, Bread, Sugar, Petroleum, Fertilizer, Seeds.

This approach was so attractive that it also spread to the organised capitalised structure. This is visibly seen in major commercialised agriculture such as Tea, Rubber and Coconut.

Thus we had subsidies for replanting as well as for fertiliser.

Therefore in the wider context this assistance came not to a selective deserving few but to everyone in society. Therefore, there was no special assistance or impetus to the deserving and needy.

Since most of the rural masses had their own grain they did not require subsidised rice and flour and thus a substantial proportion of this relief did not seep down to the rural masses.

Some of these relief measures were merely helpful to the urban and estate labour. In other words they were indirectly financing and or subsidising the organised Commercial Sector.

By "Janasaviya" Programme an attempt was made to find solutions to the needs of the ordinary masses but it failed to succeed because of its political selectivity and in view of the nature of doling out funds rather than harnessing their resources and capabilities for development.

In eighties and early nineties the disparity of have nots widened with the expansion of the Open Market Economy.

Importers, Manufactures and Industrialists were the major beneficiaries of this economy. With large- scale economic development its benefit was concentrated in the hands of a few and it never penetrated lower down and definitely not to the rural sector.

It is in this context that the policy and strategy of the "Poverty alleviation" programme of the President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has to be evaluated.

Having visualised what is required is not doling all the way but to work out a program of involvement of the poor especially in the rural sector for development endeavours, President Kumaratunga conceptualised and introduced a programme generally known as "Samurdhi".

In an analytical study it is useful to identify the major characteristics of the programme as follows:

1) It was a self-uplift programme whereby it provided individual family assistance to develop, talent and engage in self-employment,

2) Rural Employment also was useful to the country as the scheme aimed at involving ordinary masses in the process of economic development.

3) Taking note that hungry mouths cannot be meaningful partners of development activity, the Samurdhi scheme aimed at feeding the poor by providing financial assistance for subsistence and then to harness the resources of the poor people.

4) For situations of uncertainty, for investment and expansion of their activities,

i. Funds must be available in the hands of the Samurdhi beneficiaries.

ii. the stakeholders were encouraged to save and thus the promotion of saving habits was an integral part of the scheme.

5) The savings of the Samurdhi recipients also generated economic benefits to the country.

It was the vision of the President that by mere employment of a set of officers one cannot achieve targets and objectives. She visualised that to achieve the objectives of the scheme a cadre of officers committed to serve the people is required.

The President having understood the potentiality and the need to obtain the services of youth educated and committed for the welfare of their underprivileged brethren made use of them to be the catalyst of the Samurdhi Movement.

The secret of the success of the Samurdhi Movement was the commitment displayed by these officers who worked hard to ensure that these visions become realities.

Unfortunately there has been a setback for the Samurdhi Movement at a period of time when the decision makers used this scheme for narrow political gain on the one hand and funds being mishandled and mismanaged at risk and loss to unfortunate Samurdhi stakeholders.

There was also the steady reduction of funding for the scheme and shutting out the deserving due to political reasons. It is a known part of the history and that black mark which the relevant decision-makers made cannot erased for a long time.

It is to the credit and statesmanship of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga that after the recent Parliamentary elections, under her personal stewardship ably assisted by Pavithra Wanniarachchi, the Minister in charge, strong decisions were taken to strengthen this program.

Now attempts are being made to make this programme more pragmatic with a view to provide long-term economic benefits on the one hand and poverty alleviation on the other.

In this effort, the approach to help the people with no consideration of political favour or colour had been the vision of President Kumaratunga.

This also bring us to very realistic conclusion that for social and economic salvation dependence on World Bank recommendations are not necessarily the only solution and it is necessary for us to conceptualise our own solutions in the wider context of local, social and economic situations.

Visualising a conceptual framework is one thing, but more important is achieving its objectives. To have a pragmatic approach for its implementation, the country needs persons in the calibre of the President who is ready to work steadfastly and earnestly with commitment and with statesmanship.

The best tribute one can make in this context is to quote from the n words of the President.

"The Samurdhi scheme is not only a subsidy scheme for providing a monthly allowance to low income group families, but also a massive program which extends beyond it for achieving greater goals and objectives."

The Samurdhi scheme launched 10 years ago to alleviate poverty, while providing a certain monthly allowance to low income families for a given period also extended capital, knowledge and technology, infrastructure and marketing facilities to create an income avenue and enable them to stand on their own feet.

The ultimate aim of the Samurdhi Scheme is therefore to create a strong family unit which would be self-reliant.

(From Visionary Leadership of Sri Lanka)