'Divi Neguma enables a healthy nation'

Ridma Dissanayake

The Divi Neguma development programme which had been implemented according to a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is an admirable project. It provides assistance to build up a healthy and self-sufficient nation, said Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.

There is a seven billion population in the world and in Sri Lanka it is 21 million. The population is increasing continuously and 20 percent of them are adults above 60 years. Because of that they cannot assist in the economic growth, but the government and the rest of the country have a responsibility to protect and extend care to these people, he added.

The Minister was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 'Divi Neguma' development programme's second phase at the Ratmalana Divisional Secretariat, recently.

Minister Ranawaka had also distributed seeds to assist in the home gardening project. In the past few years the price of a number of food items have increased and the public had to face difficulties. Because of that Sri Lanka which was once as a self-sufficient country had to import everything from foreign countries. But at present it had been changed under the 'Divi Neguma' programme and Sri Lanka had been self-sufficient in rice again. 'Divi Neguma' has been implemented with the aim of making Sri Lanka self-sufficient in vegetables and fruits as well, the minister said. There are around five million home units in the country and four million among them have home gardens. Currently 2.5 million of them have become home economic units under the 'Divi Neguma' development programme and it had resulted in the reduction of vegetable prices.

The 'Divi Neguma' development project helps to make a healthy and strong nation,he further said.