Rs. 77 b to upgrade 4000 villages under Gama Neguma project

Rasika Somarathna

COLOMBO: To realise the goals set in President Mahinda Rajapaksa's election manifesto 4000 villages are to be upgraded starting from March 29 with an estimated cost of Rs.77 billion.

The President has laid emphasis on empowering the villages to propel the Governments development drive at the grassroots level. This is another such attempt through the village development programme Gama Neguma which is expected to act as a catalyst in achieving equitable development through out the country.

According to sources at the Nation Building Ministry, who is pioneering this cause, another extension of this project is to be launched in November this year as a countrywide project ending in 2009, targeting 8000 Grama Niladhari divisions.

Under this project, the Ministry has paid special attention to upgrade infrastructure facilities in the relevant villages including electricity, drinking water facility, developing the irrigation systems and upgrading the roads.

The project is to be supervised by Chairman of each Pradeshiya Sabha, with the effective participation of Samurdhi officers in the relevant areas, when expanded as a countrywide programme.

Minister of Nation Building S.M. Chandrasena said the Government has been able to reorganise the Samurdhi programme, to provide a viable service to the public with better capacity and efficiency.

The programme is to be coordinated and implemented through the Jathika Saviya Unit of the Ministry of Nation Building.