Sathi Polas benefit all - Basil

Sathi Polas are being set up on a countrywide scale on a concept of the President to enable people to purchase produce of the village and essential goods brought from elsewhere easily under a single roof, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa when he opened the newly built Sathi Polas at Naiwala, Minuwangoda.

Minister Rajapaksa said the Sathi polas built under the Divi Neguma programme will benefit farmers, the self employed persons as well as consumers.

He said when President Mahinda Rajapaksa assumed office on November 17, 2005 one third of the country's land area and two thirds of its sea area was subjected to LTTE terrorism and people had lost their fundamental freedom to live in peace without fear. It was due to the guidance of the President and the dedication and sacrifice made by the War Heroes that the country regained peace. Now the peace dividend is being experienced by both people in the North and East as well as the South including Minuwangoda.

Concurrent to the humanitarian war to liberate the country and restore peace the President also launched a development war to bring prosperity to the people by undertaking massive development projects. That is why we have been able to build new Ports, expressways, airports and power plants. The Gama Neguma and Divi Neguma programmes too were undertaken as part of it to develop villages. In order further strengthen and extend development a Pura Neguma programme was also implemented to develop small townships by joining up several villages. There are 36,000 villages in Sri Lanka and the Pura Neguma programme is being implemented in 24,000 Grama Niladhari divisions.

The government planned to operate 596 Sathi Polas throughout the country and of them 69 are in the Gampaha District. The Minuwangoda electorate alone had four Sathi Polas. Steps have also been taken to prevent floods in Wattala, Ja-Ela, Kandana, Negombo and Kelaniya electorates. Nearly 8,300 schools have been provided with modern sanitation facilities. Steps are being taken to build the Colombo Circular road, and the Katunayake and the Northern Expressways.

An Urban Development Plan has also been launched to provide storm water drainage and jogging tracks for people to help them improve their health status. Parliamentarian Ruwan Ranatunga, Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and Provincial Minister Nimal Lanza were also present on the occasion.