Plantation workers' living standard improved - PM

The living standard of plantation workers in Sri Lanka has vastly improved due to the efforts of the present government. As a result, they are far better off than their counterparts in India, said Prime Minister D M Jayaratne.

He was addressing a meeting after laying foundation stones for a Samadhi Buddha statue and planting a Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi sapling at the Bodhiraja Vihara at Hydra Group, Rozella, Watawala recently.

The Prime Minister said he greatly appreciated the opportunity to visit difficult areas in the country as it enabled him to witness and ascertain the living conditions of rural folk. This helped him much in identifying the burning problems of people in outstations.

This is in keeping with the President's policy of meeting people at grassroots level to identify their problems for urgent remedial action, he said. The Prime Minister said various religious programmes were held throughout the country to mark the 2600th Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi.

The common opinion of people attending those ceremonies was that economic development alone without moral and spiritual development was meaningless. "People in plantation areas have received many benefits under the present government.

The government has taken steps to grant title deeds to a plot of land to call their own among many other benefits," he pointed out.

Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake also spoke. Viharadhipati Ven Nabadagaswewa Sugathasoma Thera was also present.