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Samurdhi recipients becoming entrepreneurs

Infrastructure development

The Samurdhi Authority implements a program to develop infrastructure and for economic development of villages with Samurdhi recipients' participation.

This program is being implemented in 3,060 villages in 317 Divisional Development Secretariat Divisions.

This development program is a bottom-up operation under which Samurdhi recipients with prominent individuals in the area and also with the participation of the Pradeshiya Sabha Member of the area identify the infrastructure requirements in the area listing them on a priority basis, such as road development and tank renovation. The resources in the area will be taken into consideration when formulating the plans and estimates for such projects.

The Authority grants Rs 1 million to develop each village and with funds and resources diverted from other Government authorities this amount becomes over Rs 1.5 million.

In 2008 the Samurdhi Authority spent Rs 800 million on infrastructure development in villages and last year this expenditure was increased to Rs 3,000 million.

Concreting of village roads, construction of wells and clearing canals, construction and repairing of school buildings are carried out in this manner.

Samurdhi recipients participate in these construction and development work and since they do it as something of their own the quality and the reliability of the work is guaranteed and any form of corruption or influencing is totally eliminated.

Economic development

For economic development of villages, the Authority implements program to develop agriculture, animal husbandry, marketing and industrial projects with Samurdhi recipients' participation. Over Rs 560 million was spent in 2008 for this.

Under this program, there are over 30,000 agricultural development projects.

These include food production projects, home gardening projects and agricultural produce marketing projects.

Priority is given to projects related to improvement of agriculture and food production as part of the Api Wavamu Rata Nagamu program. The food and other essential items required in the respective area is met by this measure and the excess is marketed on a profit share basis.

Animal husbandry and fishery development projects

The Samurdhi Authority pays special attention to develop animal husbandry and fishery development projects by providing training and other facilities to Samurdhi recipients.

Nearly 9,271 animal husbandry and fishery projects were implemented successfully. Jointly with the Health Ministry the Samurdhi Commissioner's Department implements a program to provide a basket of nutritious food to feeding mothers.

Eggs for that basket are obtained through poultry units maintained by Samurdhi recipients.

The Samurdhi Authority also implemented 11,341 projects to develop industrial villages and to develop rice producing villages.

It implements program to market the produce of industrial villages and thereby help the producer obtain price to their products.

Social uplift program

The Samurdhi Program makes a concerted effort to rid persons, especially the Samurdhi recipients from the anti-social activities such as smoking, addiction to alcohol and drugs and gambling and Prevention of children from becoming victims to these evil practices.

Persons indulging in such activities are educated through special programs on the evils and harmful nature of such practices, to themselves their families, the village and to the country at large.

They are also educated on the need to turn themselves to their respective religious practices and solace that can be achieved through this path and the need to love their children, family members, neighbours and others.

This program has immensely helped reform many individuals, re-establish their family bonds and re-direct the money wasted on evil practices to the welfare of their families and economically strengthen their families. In 2009, the program helped 14,794 persons to quit drinking alcohol, 9,317 persons to quit smoking and 5,700 shops to stop sale of cigarettes.

Over 2,500 programs this year will be held to continue with this successful operation with a view to make this country devoid of evil practices that create divisions in families, demoralize children and waste resources of the poor population.

Samurdhi recipient housing projects

The most deserving homeless Samurdhi recipient in a Samurdhi Division is provided assistance up to Rs 100,000 to construct a house, or to renovate their houses.

The Samurdhi Bank provides 50 percent of this amount as a free grant and the balance 50 percent as an interest free loan repayable in five years. Under this Diriya Piyasa housing program 14,000 Samurdhi recipients became owners of their own housing units by the end of last year. In addition to this 1,040 disabled Ranaviru heroes were provided houses.

It is targeted to help build 3,500 Diriya Piyasa housing units and 1,000 housing units for the disabled this year.

Marketing programs

Samurdhi Authority Director Bandula Thilakasiri in an interview said while the Samurdhi program has succeeded in transforming many poor Samurdhi recipient families as new entrepreneurs. Poverty alleviation is the objective of the Authority to introduce their new products to markets and make them successful businessmen and even exporters.

Tilakasiri also said that in November last year with the participation of about 4,000 new entrepreneurs an exhibition was held at the BMICH and it was a great success and the exhibitors were able to receive many supply orders and establish valuable contacts.

Samurdhi Bank

There are over 1,000 Samurdhi Bank branches throughout the country and arrangements are under way to expand this network.

It was started as a place for Samurdhi recipients to deposit their savings and to obtain easy term loans. Deposits made by Samurdhi recipients have registered a steep increase over the past few years.

 

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