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One year progress of Mahinda Chinthana

In the process of economic, political and social progress in a country, planning occupies the pride of place. That is because without planning it is difficult to reach the intended destination.

There is no dispute that the Mahinda Chinthana laid a firm foundation for a novel revolution in the political, economic and social spheres of this country. As such, it received the blessings of the people as well as those of the academics in this country.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa put forth Mahinda Chinthana before the masses as his manifesto at the last Presidential Election. Its implementation commenced simultaneously with the President's assumption of duties in the office of Presidency on November 18, 2005. From that point of view the real implementation of the concept of Mahinda Chinthana is at the moment nearing its first anniversary.

It is a reality, currently in progress when you look at it as a whole or part by part. This phenomenon is manifestly discernible in the multitude of activities that take place throughout the country today.

As we review Mahinda Chinthana on this occasion of its first anniversary, we see its implementation in progress at the moment as well as steps afoot to commence implementation. The speciality of its implementation is that some projects are long term while some are short term.

To solve the urgent burning problems, it has adopted accelerated short term projects while long term projects are intended to address a development process encompassing the entire country over a long period ahead. Confidence in the development of the rural economy to ensure the economic uplift of the entire country is a conspicuous feature in the Mahinda Chinthana.

This is a note on the preliminary steps taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make the Mahinda Chinthana.

An end to drug menace

* Government Financial assistance for educational programme.

* Prohibition of smoking and drinking in public places.

* State patronage to voluntary organization.

* Enforcement of law & order without interference.

Relief Programme for expectant mothers

* A basket of nutritional foods

* Monthly allowance of Rs. 200/- to purchase milk.

* Provision of training, technology & financial assistance for those in charge of pre-schools.

* Doubling the present monthly allowance being paid to an inmate in children's homes.

Yovun Diriya Programme

* Employment for a further batch of 10,000 graduates.

* Immediate fulling of 33,000 vacancies in the public service and permanency for all casual & temporary employees.

* Permanent employment for all voluntary teacher.

* Employment opportunities on a higher salary scale for 50,000 in 2006 and another 50,000 in 2007.

Dethata Saviya

* A set of tools and equipment for 100,000 personnel to be gainfully employed in their respective fields for which they were trained.

* Provision of foreign employment in addition to public and private sectors and self-employment.

Income earners

* Non-privatization of public service.

* Maintain dignity and independence of public service.

Public sector

* Balance half of the salary increase granted by Budget 2005, to be paid in January.

A monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000/- to meet the increase in Cost of Living and payment of an additional sum calculated at Rs. 2.50 for month for each point of cost of living will be added to such payment and paid bi-annually.

* Payment at the rate of double the daily salary for each day of unutilized leave.

* Male public servants will be granted 3 days special leave on the birth of his child.

* An incentive payment based on performance will be introduced.

* A new medical insurance covering family members will be introduced.

* Permits to import duty free vehicles for Government, Corporation and Semi-Government officers.

* The Facility of the five year housing loan will be extended to public corporations as well.

* Pensionable status for all public officers.

* A hospital with specialist medical services.

* Solution for outstanding problems relating to 1980 July strikers.

Private Sector

* Duty-free permits for income tax payers to import vehicles.

* A special programme to grant housing loans on low interest.

Foreign Employment

* 100,000 employment opportunities in Korea and Malaysia.

* Increased employment opportunities in nursing, shipping and computer field.

* Duty free allowance to be increased upto US $ 5000.

* Introduction of an housing loan scheme.

* Provision of bank loans to meet initial expenses.

* Welfare projects at village level to benefit children of expatriate workers.

* Protection for expatriate female workers.

* Provision of necessary training for prospectives female expatriates.

* A new nursing school.

* A pension scheme for expatriates.

'Diriya Kantha' Programme

* Special income generating avenues for a batch of 10 women selected from each village in the first year.

* A loans scheme from "Lanka Putra" Bank service through intervention of government.

* 'Kantha Pilisarana' programme to protect women from violence and mental stress will be introduced.

* Ensure women's right to equality of status with men, justice & fairplay.

* Increase women's representation in nomination lists by a minimum of 25%.

Samurdhi Relief

* Implementation of project with potential to increase the monthly income of Samurdhi recipients to Rs. 5,000.

* Action to increase the Samurdhi payment by 50%.

* Samurdhi payment of Rs. 5,000 in the event of a death in the family would be increased to Rs. 10,000.

* The payment of Rs. 2,500 in respect of a child birth would be increased to Rs. 5,000 with immediate effect.

* A loan of Rs. 100,000 would be provided for the empowerment of Samurdhi families.

* A payment of Rs, 250,000 would be made in the event of death or incapacitation of the head of family so that a stable income for the family could be maintained.

* The scholarship allowance paid to children of Samurdhi families would be increased by 50%.

Respected Senior Citizens' Programme

* Pensions will be increased in line with the increases of salaries

* Revision of pensions by eliminating anomalies to enable the pensions to live with self respect.

* Free issue of spectacles to visually-impaired senior citizens.

* A reduction of 50% in the busfares levied by State Transport Services for senior citizens.

* A free railway warrant will be issued to undertake pilgrimages once an year.

* A National pension scheme to benefit the self-employed.

Disabled Citizens

* A monthly grant of Rs. 3,000 for a family with disabled members will be provided

* Open up a separate section in popular government schools in place of separate schools for the deaf, dumb & blind.

* Construction of "Rekawarana Nivasa's" homes to house the disabled.

* Reserve 3% jobs in institutions when the staff exceeds 100.

* Construction of new access roads to public buildings for the benefit of the disabled.

* Provision of a house to all disabled soldiers within three years.

* Provide the full amount required for kidney and heart transplantations, from the President's Fund.

To ease the family burden

* Monthly payment of a sum of Rs. 200 for purchase of milk

* An allowance of Rs. 1,000 to public servants and Rs. 2.50 for each point of cost of living.

* A discount of Rs. 20 per month for those falling under the category of minimum users.

* A discount of Rs. 30 per month for electricity consumption for 'minimum users'

* A subsidy of two litres of kerosene for households not provided with electricity.

* A meal of rice for children for their daily lunch.

* A weekly food basket containing rice, dry fish and vegetables to poor families at an affordable price.

* A programme to purchase the produce of farmers direct from them and to sell them to the consumers at a reasonable price.

* The State will also undertake the imports of food and drugs in competition with the private sector.

* The price of a 50 kg bag of fertilizer of all types will be reduced to Rs. 350. Action to bring down the prices of local produce.

Jana Sevana

* 100,000 plots of lands would be provided for construction of houses

* 65,000 housing units would be constructed for those living in slums and temporary structures.

* A housing loan scheme where only the payment would be payable.

* Houses at the rate of 25 for each village would be constructed annually. Less expensive condominium houses would be constructed.

* Housing loan scheme with 30% contribution by the government would be implemented to construct houses for expatriate workers.

The full ownership of houses in government housing schemes will be transferred to occupants.

* Housing loans granted under housing schemes with interest accrued there on would be written off and the ownership of such houses would be transferred to the occupants.

Gama Neguma

* Electricity for every village.

* A common telecommunication system for every village.

* Uninterrupted potable water supply.

* Irrigated water for paddy fields.

* Access roads to villages through 'Maga Neguma'.

* Infrastructure development.

* Village schools provided with human and physical resources.

* Health centre to ensure the good health of the villagers.

* A village bazaar within corporate stores to supply village needs at cheaper rates.

* Paddy stores, fertilizer stores and rice mill.

* A body to generate employment.

* Pre-school with children's park.

* Playground and community centre.

* Village forest.

* Public cemetery.

* 125 new houses for each village within five years.

* Rs. 10,000 for a farming family to construct a paddy storage facility in their premises.

* Village paddy store, rice mill and food stores.

* Village schools would be improved.

* Wana Piyasa' projects in water-fed upland areas.

Ancient glory for tomorrow as well

* 10,000 archaeological and historical centres will be preserved.

* Undivided country, consensus and honourable peace would be the theme for future.

* Establishment of a separate authority called, "Jathika Saviya" to relocate the displaced persons without discrimination.

* Implementation of "Jaya Lanka" programme to redevelop tsunami-hit areas.

A virtuous stake

* Government stipend of Rs. 1000 to piriven stipends would be increased to Rs. 2000.

* Special programme to maintain places of religious worship.

* Immediate innovations to places of all religious worship damaged by tsunami and ethnic strife.

* Improvement of necessary facilities for places of worship.

* Places of Hindu worship with an archaeological value would be preserved and declared as National religious centres.

* Resources and financial assistance to Hindu Colleges would be provided.

* Existing vacancies of Muslim marriage and registrar and corners would be filled soon.

Police Service

* Modernization of Police service

* Provision of direct assistance of such officers as legal, audit, accounting, computer and office technical services to facilitate investigations.

* Arrangements for expedition performance of activities relating to recruitment, promotions and transfers of police personnel whilst getting rid of the shortcomings in the police commission.

* A long-term loan scheme for police officers to purchase vehicles and motorcycles.

* Integrations of reserve police officers into the regular force.

* Appointment of a committee to resolve the problems faced by Gramarakshaka Niladharis.

Public's security, Judiciary and Law

* Guarantee of every citizen's fundamental rights.

* Devise a mechanism to provide free legal aid to low-income groups.

* Civil and criminal procedure would be amended to avoid delays in the adminstration of justice.

* Decentralization of Court of Appeal.

* Prison administration would be adequately reformed and a new programme would be launched to integrate the prisoners into the society when they are returned from prison.