Eight percent economic growth:

Major victory for Govt - PM

Niroshana Perera - Ratnapura district special corr

The Government has achieved a major victory by registering an economic growth rate of 8 percent during the 18 months following the 30-year terrorist scourge said Prime Minister and Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Minister D M Jayaratne.

This is in comparison to the growth rate of 9 percent achieved by China and 8 percent achieved by India, he said. It is the astute leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa that enabled the country make this achievement said the Prime Minister when he launched the Ratnapura District phase of the Government’s national program for development of moral values and multi-religions places of worship at the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council auditorium on Monday.

The Prime Minister who said that the Government hoped to develop the country to its pristine glory on the village, temple, wewa and degoba theme of yore sand that it had already provided assistance to develop all places of worship including temples in the North and East. Moral values was a sine qua non for the development of the village.

That is why the Government was endeavouring to re-establish links between the people and the temple in the village from this program. The Government also planned to convene a Maha Sangha Council in future to foster a Buddhist revival and take the Buddhist message to all four corners of the globe.

Ven. Benagamuwe Dhammadinna Chief Sanghanayake of Ratnapura district and Ven. Kompitiye Sri Rahula Thera delivered special anusasanas at the meeting attended by over 700 members of the Maha Sangha. Minister W D J Seneviratne, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Chief Minister Maheepala Herath were also present.