People's Committees to expedite development - President

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

MONERAGALA: The programme pledged under the Mahinda Chinthana to develop rural areas with a new administrative structure by establishing Jana Sabhas or People's Committees, was launched yesterday from Jayaminigama of the Siyambalanduwa Divisional Secretariat in the Monaragala District of the Uva Province.

President Mahinda Rajapakse announced the programme's launch at the Athimale Primary College, Moneragala where he presided at the first Jana Sabha held in conformity with the programme and handed over Rs. 37,000,000 to complete an irrigation project for Jayaminigama Athimale area under the programme.

He also opened a children's park and laid the foundation stone for building a Jana Sabha Secretariat office.

The President addressing the gathering said here that Gama Neguma had been introduced to develop villages on a practical platform by empowering representatives of rural communities, respective local bodies and social organisations in villages to play a role of predominance in the process of developing and managing the villages.

Rajapakse said that successive Governments since independence had introduced various plans including five year plans or 10 year plans to promote sustainable rural development under various concepts and themes like the Grama Rajyas, Gam Udawas and Gramodaya.

"Although there had been numerous such projects in the past, the situation in villages remains to be identified with the famous phrase Kolambata kiri apata kekiri.

Besides there has not been any change in the situation with regard to the division of per capita income among the masses with 50 per cent of the per capita income still circulating in Colombo and in the Western Province as it has been over the years".

Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara said launching of Gama Neguma was a historic event that has fulfilled a long -felt need of the country.