Divi Neguma promotion:

No public funds used

The Government yesterday denied reports that public funds have been allocated to promote the Divi Neguma program which was launched by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on March 12 to uplift 25 percent of population in the country.

Youth Affairs Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said the Divi Neguma program has received massive support from the private institutions and it aims at uplifting people and promote their capacity by establishing more than one million domestic economic units.

Addressing a press conference at the Mahaweli Centre in Colombo yesterday, the Minister said private companies have come forward to sponsor the campaign.

Western Provincial Council Minister Udaya Gammanpila said the Divi Neguma and the Let’s Grow and Build the Country’ (Api Wawamu and Rata Nagamu) are two programs launched by the Agriculture Ministry and the Economic Development Ministry both for the benefit of the farmers as well as the public. He said the Api Wawamu - Rata Nagamu program averted possible price hike in food crops during the time when many countries in the region and world were affected by low production of food crops due to changes in the weather pattern.

CP