A people-building budget

One of the most striking features of the 2012 budget was its focus on some of the most vulnerable sections of society. Public servants of this country and their worries were taken full cognizance of by the state and the proof of this was the 10 percent salary hike which they were granted, but there were also the elders and the pensioners who were helped to the extent possible by the government.

The latter are welcome emphases in the budget. To be sure, the current budget proposals have a very pronounced development orientation and one could see that the sectors with the strongest growth potential, such as tourism and the exports, to single out just two vital areas of the economy, are being provided some strong incentives for further development, but the state has finely balanced this out by seeking to succour those sections of society whose dependence on the rest of the public is likely to grow in the years and decades to come.

Elders, whether they be the parents of War Heroes who paid the supreme price for their country or otherwise, will constitute a significant component of our population in the forthcoming years and supporting them to the extent possible is the obligation of the state and the public. It is heartening to note that the state has taken the initiative on this matter and is discharging its responsibilities towards the population segments concerned in a proactive fashion. Allowances and other forms of financial help go a long way in helping our elders and other vulnerable groups to make ends meet and the financial assistance offered to them will prove a source of strength.

As we have right along been saying in this commentary, the essentials of the welfare system have been retained in this country over the years, and this is standing us in good stead and is certain to do so even in times to come provided we retain this structure, the importance of which is underlined by the socio-economic turmoil in other parts of the world. If Sri Lanka is among the foremost in the developing countries bracket from the point of view of socio-economic development, then, the reasons for this could be traced to the still vibrant welfare measures in our midst. Our impressive indices in the areas of primary and secondary education and health, for instance, prove the case for the continuance of the welfare system in its essentials.

The state has chosen to fund very substantially sectors, such as, education and health and this would ensure quality human resources that would help substantially in the development effort. For instance, the health allocation is Rs. 105 billion and that for education Rs. 95 billion. These are substantial sums which would ensure a very good quality of life for the people and prove a fillip to their continued productivity.

However, these social commitments are balanced with initiatives which would assist in keeping the growth sectors of our economy humming. For instance, a number of concessions are being granted to the tourism sector, as indicated earlier, and this should prove beneficial to those who want to invest in the leisure sector which has an abundance opportunities for the enterprising and business-conscious sections.

We note that incentives are also being given to Sri Lankans based overseas who possess the necessary capital and we do hope that our Diaspora abroad, in particular, would make ample use of these business opportunities. It should be now plain to see that Sri Lanka is brimming with promise for those who want to start anew and make Sri Lanka their steadfast home. Hopefully, President Rajapaksa’s call to all our communities to unite behind their motherland would not go unheeded.

This is the moment for the well meaning to prove their worth.