Timely focus on rural economy

In a most timely move, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has visited the Polonnaruwa district and we hope the public officials of the area in particular would galvanize themselves into action as never before for purpose of developing the district. As far as we could perceive, development is all about enabling the home fires to burn increasingly brightly in even the smallest of our rural homesteads. It is all about having an abundance of rice, vegetables and fruits. It is all about having a secure roof over ones head and in having safe drinking water, good healthcare services and forever functional and open schools and government offices, to name just a few such essentials.

Therefore, we are glad that the President has taken it upon himself to assess the development process in the rural areas of this country. It is very insightful on the part of the President to do so because the statistics that state agencies cite about the country’s growth dynamism and connected matters would not necessarily be an adequate reflection of how well the development drive is percolating down to the grassroots. While our impressive GNP per capita is something most could be happy over, does this abstract statistic translate into a wholesome meal and safe drinking water and secure homesteads for the people, for instance, is the question that must be answered. Therefore, personal, on-the-spot inspections by no less a person than the President, is a most welcome development.

Over the past few years the development of rural infrastructure has been quite phenomenal. Likewise, there has been an acceleration of construction activity and we have seen hotels, for instance, coming into existence in increasing numbers in particularly our rural belt. Hopefully, all this and more will translate into increasing livelihoods and fuller larders in the provinces. It is the responsibility of the state and its agencies to ensure that the people do not miss out on these essentials for living.

This is what ‘trickle-down’ in classical economic theory is all about and without this transpiring no development could be said to be taking place. The state agencies at grassroots level need to be forever alert to ensure that development thus defined takes place and it was most thoughtful of the President to draw the attention of rural-based state officials to this crucial need. They must be up and about and accountable if development is to happen and cracking the whip on napping officials is also part and parcel of the process of rejuvenating the country and making it flourish in a material sense.

As we see it, there is pervasive apathy among those who are given responsibilities in this country. They must all be held responsible for any lapses on their part. This would not be hard to achieve because the state sector in particular in this country is over-blown. There are believed to be numberless officials for each citizen. It is up to our numerous ministers and their senior staff to ensure that the totality of the state system is activated dynamically and made to function vibrantly, so that development would seep down to the people in a systematic and even fashion. Perhaps, our main state functionaries and their staff must get down to the task of ensuring that the fruits of development percolate down to the people, with the same alacrity and zeal with which they use state facilities which are paid for by the tax payer.

Jaffna district, we are told, is doing extremely well in terms of economic productivity and this is something to take joy in. After all, not so long ago, the district was wilting in the throes of civilian strife. But today it is blossoming forth as a strong growth centre. Likewise, districts, such as, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa must be made to flourish. These districts, along with Moneragala, are areas where a degree of material prosperity is yet to make an imprint. It is to the degree to which prosperity reaches these districts that the country could be said to be experiencing development even to some extent.

We hope the example of the President would catch on. Our state functionaries cannot leave things to chance. They must be on their feet and ensure that the state system too is in the same state of alertness and vibrancy. Do not let the grass grow beneath your feet, is our advice to the state sector.