Samurdhi recipients becoming entrepreneurs
Continued from yesterday
Ariya RUBASINGHE
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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