Proposed public benefits through next budget - PM

Rasika SOMARATHNA in Kegalle

The proposed salary hikes and other public benefits promised during the last Presidential election would come into effect through the next budget, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said yesterday.

This would also include a Health Insurance scheme for Pensioners, he added.

The Prime Minister said so addressing an election rally in Kegalle yesterday, held in support of candidates contesting under the UPFA banner from the district.

The Premier during his speech also noted that the Government would re-introduce now defunct Village Councils and Jana Sabha’s in order to empower the villagers.

“We would entrust the village development process to these councils, which would comprise members from the relevant villages itself, he added. The highly debated present Constitution too came under heavy criticism by the Prime Minister who said that the much maligned preferential voting system should go.

He emphasized the need to re-introduce the first past the post system and enact other necessary constitutional changes.

The Prime Minister urged voters to return UPFA back with a two-thirds majority to achieve the above objectives without much hassle.

On the occasion he also bemoaned the lack of competition during the UPFA election campaign trail due to the inactivity of the main opposition, which he said had contributed to a lack of enthusiasm among voters. The rally held in the Kegalle city grounds with the participation of a large gathering was also addressed by Ven. Ellawela Medananda Thera, Minister Tissa Vitarana, former Parliamentarian Sarath Kongahage and all UPFA candidates contesting from the Kegalle district.