Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the government would take measures to increase Aswesuma benefits to low income families. He stated this at the Anuradhapura Special Coordination Committee Meeting on “New Village - New Country” National Integration Participatory Development Program held on 31.10.2023 at the North Central Province Secretariat.
Speaking on this occasion Prime Minister stated that-
“Anuradhapura district is a central district that has a unique respect as the heart of the country. This district receives a special respect in the irrigation industry. It is the farmers of Anuradhapura district who have proved that it is possible to produce a surplus rice harvest. There are 14,300 Grama Niladhari Divisions in our country. Apart from the forests, each of these Grama Niladhari Divisions can be self-sufficient by focusing on the development of the arable lands. We can build such a country. The country should focus on activities that can earn foreign exchange by fulfilling the needs of the masses.
How many children go to school in Anuradhapura district? How many will study up to O/L? We have not yet been able to provide a solution to the children who dropout from the school. All those who pass A/L Exam do not have access to the Universities. What will be done to these children? Many gateways should be opened to ensure the development of those children. Certain delays are visible regarding this issue in our education system. If we are in a need to give new opportunities to the new generation in our livelihood development and production sector, we need to move forward through a program to provide post-educational opportunities to children. I believe that such a plan will be arranged for Anuradhapura district. Don’t stay until everything is provided from Colombo. You can provide livelihood opportunities for school leavers. Schools are closed at 1.30p.m. We should look at the changes made by other countries during challenging periods by utilizing school buildings that have been constructed by investing millions of money. The government has provided opportunities for those decisions.
The district of Anuradhapura is the district of luck, where the sun shines most of the year. How many of the twenty-two Divisional secretariats have been converted to solar power? How many government buildings have undergone such transformations? Hydropower electricity in the country is insufficient to meet the electricity demand. Rajarata has a university to think of innovative things like this.
If we do not think anew, what will happen is that the money received from Colombo for development will be divided and the reports will be read. Today, the world is shocked by the challenges. We faced the challenge of Covid pandemic. As a country with the lowest number of deaths, we moved forward with everyone’s support. We were able to win that day because we coordinated the services and moved towards the goals. Then we had an economic crisis. Management is very important in this period to reduce our costs as well as production.
A general plan should be prepared to integrate every village in Anuradhapura district. It should be transformed into a plan which guides for development. Necessary steps have been taken to rectify the delays and problems in the Aswasuma program. It has come to a point where we can announce a journey that will provide more financial allocations in the next month. This procedure has come to a reality due to the establishment of the law and order of the country as well as the economy.
Governor of the North Central Province, Mahipala Herath, State Ministers Janaka Wakkumbura, Ashoka Priyantha, Members of Parliament S. M. Chandrasena, Duminda Dissanayake, K.H. Nandasena, K.P.S Kumarasiri, Yadamini Gunawardena, Rohana Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Ranjith Ashoka, Secretary of Northern Province ,Chandrasiri Bandara, Government Agent of Anuradhapura District, M.J.K Jayasundara, Adviser to the President Dr. Suren Batagoda, Divisional Secretaries , Officers of Government Institutions, Representatives of public societies participated in the event.
Prime Minister’s Media