Govt successfully managing humanitarian ops, economy

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Government is about to end the 30 year war. The Government in 2008 spent Rs.164 billion for the National defence budget and it was Rs. 171 billion in 2009. The Government at the same time spent Rs.26,449 million for fertilizer relief in 2008. The funds spent by the Government to provide fertilizer relief during the past three months (by March 31, 2009) is Rs.25,000 million, Information and Media Minister and Cabinet Spokesman Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

He was addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing held at the Government Information Department yesterday.

Minister Yapa said the Government spent Rs.10,998 million to provide fertilizer relief in 2007 and another Rs.10,687 million to provide Samurdhi relief in 2008.

In 2007, the rate of increasing prices of goods was 15 percent. It was 28 percent in 2008. But in 2009 it is only 5.3 percent. The agricultural sector showed a over 23 percent growth rate last year. This shows how the Government successfully manages both humanitarian operations and National economy he said.

Talks between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon during the recent past was very fruitful. It helped to reveal the truth and ground reality of the humanitarian operations in Sri Lanka.

It also helped to establish a better understanding despite inaccurate information by anti Sri Lankan, elements and the wrong picture of Sri Lanka they had established, the Minister said.