Religious places development:

Common Fund soon

A Common Fund for the development of Buddhist temples and Dagobas and other religious places of worship countrywide would be launched soon by setting up a new department to handle the work, Prime Minister and Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister D.M. Jayaratne said.

The Prime Minister disclosed this when he called on Kelaniya University Chancellor Ven Dr Welamitiyawe Kusaladamma Chief Sangha Nayaka Thera and Sabaragamuwa University Chancellor Ven Kamburugamuwe Vajira Thera at the Vidyalankara University Pirivena, Kelaniya and received their blessings yesterday.

The Prime Minister said steps have been taken to cater to the urgent needs of temples on a priority basis as part of a program to create a disciplined society centred round village temples. He said concurrent to the President’s program to develop the country on the economic front, he would spearhead a program to create a disciplined society, rich in moral and spiritual values to support that endeavour.

He said the support and assistance rendered by the Maha Sangha and clergy of other religions towards the success of the humanitarian war to defeat terrorism was most noteworthy and remembered with gratitude. The clergy had a vital role to play in ensuring the development and progress of a nation.

Ven Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thera and Ven Kamburugamuwe Vajira Thera in their Anusasana said they highly appreciated the appointment deeply religious and of a faithful Buddhist in the calibre of D.M. Jayaratne as the 14th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.