Plans suitable for country’s indigenous needs should be formulated -Investment Promotion Minister

It is only by formulating plans suitable for the country’s indigenous needs and implementing them properly that we can achieve progress in the economic, political, social and cultural fields said Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama. He was addressing a meeting at his political office at Nugawela, Kandy recently.

Dr. Amunugama said we had a proud 2500 year history. Our forefathers had built massive dagobas, tanks and other architectural edifices that baffled foreigners.

But we could not ensure a better future for us all by merely harking on our proud history unless we formulated and implemented development programmes to suit the country’s needs.

Dr. Amunugama said the country today faced many economic challenges including inflation, poverty, unemployment and income disparity. The Government under the leadership of the President had now launched large scale development programmes to overcome these challenges. Among these schemes were Gami Diriya’, ‘Api Wawamu Rata Nagamu, ‘Gama Neguma’.

Development programmes hitherto restricted to urban areas had been extended to the villages to increase rural income and solve rural unemployment.

A glance at the development programme set in motion clearly showed that the Government was acting with great foresight to strengthen the indigenous economy by increasing indigenous production as a substitute to imports.

The Government was striving hard to increase local milk and sugar production to reduce the drain on foreign exchange. Development schemes would succeed only if there was peace and communal amity.

The prime objective of the President and his Government was to defeat terrorism and ensure a peaceful environment where people of all communities could live with dignity without fear and suspicion.

Central Provincial Council member Dilum Amunugama also spoke.