Rs. 90 m to uplift 4,050 Samurdhi families

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhapura Additional district group correspondent

The Anuradhapura District Samurdhi Commissioner’s office has embarked on a programme for the empowerment of livelihood of 4,050 low income families in the Anuradhapura district under ‘Gama Neguma’ phase two.

The District Samurdhi Commissioner R.A. Karunapala told the Daily News that the families below the poverty level who are Samurdhi beneficiaries living in 162 Grama Niladhari divisions on the basis of 25 such families from each division are being selected through a survey conducted by Samurdhi Development Officers and Grama Niladaris.

The families who are genuinely interested in starting self-employment ventures and capable of facing challenges and possess skills are chosen under the supervision of the Divisional Secretaries.

Micro business, small industries, agricultural ventures and brick manufacturing are some of the ventures given priority.

The prospective families will be provided with infrastructural facilities such as electricity, water and building requirements to start projects for which additional funds are released by the Ministry of Nation Building.

Karunapala said under current estimates Rs. 90 million would be required for the livelihood empowerment programme of 4,050 low income families.