‘Gama Neguma’ speeds through the villages

Uditha Kumarasinghe

The Government has expended Rs.14,000 million to implement the infrastructure and livelihood development projects of the “Gama Neguma” programme for year 2008,

This development is the main national development drive implemented by the Government to achieve an overall economic growth in the country under the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ manifesto.

The ‘Gama Neguma’ programme inaugurated in 2006 with 119 Grama Niladhari divisions was expanded to cover 4,000 divisions in 2007 and to cover the entire 14,000 Grama Niladhari divisions in 2008.

The provision of Rs.4,000 million allocated in 2007 for the implementation of the Gama Neguma Programme was increased 3.5 fold reaching Rs.14,000 million in 2008, a spokesman for the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry told the Daily News yesterday.

The prime objective of the ‘Gama Neguma’ programme is to establish economically stable villages, consisting of communities which upholds moral values. The Nation Building Ministry plays a vital role in decision making and the overall implementation of the ‘Gama Neguma’ programme..

Under the ‘Gama Neguma’ programme, it is expected to build up villages with infrastructure facilities such as roads, electricity, irrigation, water supply and other community services. Measures have also been taken to generate employment and livelihood opportunities by developing agricultural projects, small scale industries, enterprises and improving traditional industries unique to the village.

The spokesman said several initiatives taken in 2008 to implement the ‘Gama Neguma’ programme proved productive and viable. On a directive by President Mahinda

Rajapaksa as the Cabinet Minister of the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure, the country was demarcated into six zones for the purpose of financial allocations.

A total of 23,912 infrastructure projects and 39,272 livelihood projects have been completed under ‘Gama Neguma’ programme by August 2008. In addition, a large number of projects to inspire spiritual development are also being implemented islandwide, he said.

The first zone of the ‘Gama Neguma’ programme covers the Monaragala, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura districts while the zone two includes Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Jaffna districts. Zone three has covers the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Matale and Vavuniya districts while Galle, Matara, Hambantota and Kilinochchi districts come under zone four.

In addition, zone five includes Kurunegala, Kegalle, Puttalam and Mannar districts. Zone six covers Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Mullaitivu districts. The Gama Neguma programme has also given top priority to commence the infrastructure development projects and livelihood development projects in the Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Mullativu districts which come under the purview of the North and East Provinces.

Of the proposed 268 infrastructure development projects and livelihood development projects in Jaffna district for the year 2008, the Ministry had completed 228 projects by August this year.

The Ministry has also been able to complete all 24 projects in the Vavuniya district planned for 2008 by the same period this year, headded.