All round development by 2020 - Finance Secretary

Chaminda PERERA

The Finance Ministry yesterday said a number of achievements in the path of the country's economic development would inevitably be made by 2020, if the country is driven on the Mahinda Chintana policy framework.

Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara said the Government will be able to increase the per capita income from US$ 2,000 to US$ 6,000 and the country would see tremendous development in all spheres by 2020.

He added that the Mahinda Chintana has earmarked balance development in all spheres. He said it ensures a house equipped with water and electricity facilities for each family by 2020.

Speaking at a seminar to educate Trade Union activists and members of the working class on Mahinda Chintana at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday, Dr. Jayasundara said the health sector would see unprecedented development by 2020 and the Government expects to bring the child mortality rate to near zero level by 2020.

"The life expectancy rate of the Sri Lankans would increase from 65-70 years to 80-85 years by 2020 and the employable age of persons would also increase from 60 years in 2010 to 65 years in 2020," he said.

The IT literacy in the country increased from five percent in 2005 to 40 percent in 2009. It will increase to 75 percent this year.

"The Government has made a number of investments in the development of IT education in Sri Lanka during the past four years," he said.

Dr. Jayasundara said the agricultural activities will receive boost with the completion of massive irrigation schemes such as Deduru Oya and Uma Oya.

Dr. Jayasundara said that the Government will introduce a new Pension Fund through which the members of the working class can get a monthly income after retirement.

He said this fund will assist them at the later stage of their life. He added that such decisions were taken by the Governments in 1957 and 1972 to set up Employees' Provident Fund and the National Savings Bank through which the people at grassroots level received immense benefits.

He said the Government's investment in massive infrastructure development projects such as the Colombo South Harbour Development project and Hambantota Port construction project would definitely increase the overall income of the people. The country's economy was at stake before 2005 and private as well as public sectors were affected due to various decisions taken by the then administration, he added.

The UNF Government's decision to dilute the public sector impeded the progress of the private sector too, he said.

Dr. Jayasundara added that the Government that came into power in 2005 brought forward a dynamic policy framework - the Mahinda Chintana through which a number of achievements has been made in economic and social sectors of the country during the past four years.