Poverty dips in H'tota

The poverty level in the Hambantota district has dropped to 6.9 percent in comparison to the country's overall poverty level of 7.6 percent.

This is a positive development under the Mahinda Rajapaksa government, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at a meeting of the Hambantota District Co-ordinating Committee held at Singapore Hall, Hambantota on Friday. The Minister said a programme to accelerate development activities in four electorates in the district has also been launched and Rs 2,950 million allocated for district development activities for the a five month period.

He said the four electorates are Tissamaharama, Tangalle, Mulkirigala and Beliatta. He said the Hambantota district has a population of 595,597 and constitutes 14 divisional secretariat divisions and 575 Grama Niladhari divisions.

Minister Rajapaksa said Rs 1,050.5 million will be spent in carpeting roads in the district, while Rs 1,810 million has been set apart for the Divi Neguma programme in the district. Another Rs 134 million has been allocated for the Samurdhi programme and Rs 412 million for the Gama Neguma programme. In addition to this, Rs 35 million allocated to each MP under decentralized budget funds will also be utilized for development work in the district.

He said in an effort to develop the Kalu Dodol industry, Rs 134 million will be allocated for setting up Kalu Dodol sales centres.

He also said the Divi Neguma programme would lay special emphasis in developing the fisheries industry in the district. He said these programmes were intended to reduce unemployment in the district from 11 percent to 8 percent by 2013.

Ministers S M Chandrasena and Mahinda Amaraweera, Parliamentarians Namal Rajapaksa, Kamala Ranatunge and V K Indika, Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijelal de Silva and other officials attended the meeting.