Friday, 3 January 2014 04:32
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Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa will sign at the auspicious time of 10 a.m. today (3 January) the gazette notification formally establishing the Divi Neguma Development Department.
The notification will officially empower the department to streamline the Divi Neguma program by combining the services of five organisations, including the Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority, Upcountry Development Authority and Southern Development Authority in five regions.
Religious ceremonies and other events will mark the occasion in 332 Samurdhi Association in 25 districts and in 1,074 Samurdhi banks island-wide. Also participating in these ceremonies will be hundreds and thousands of Samurdhi beneficiaries in 14,011 Grama Seva Divisions.
The department has been established to raise the living standards of 1.8 million families and thereby benefit five million persons in accordance with President Rajapaksa’s ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ vision and make Sri Lanka a poverty-free country by 2016. For this purpose, food security will be ensured and micro finance, physical and social infra-structure facilities will be provided to strengthen livelihoods and development at community level.
Following the passing of the Divi Neguma Bill with a majority of 117 votes on 8 January 2013 in accordance with the recommendations the Supreme Court made, 26,000 persons employed by the Samurdhi Authority and the five affiliated organisations will become entitled to all the salaries and benefits given to other Government employees.
The Divi Neguma Development Department will function under a Director General and additional Directors General in five regions and Deputy Directors in 25 district offices. Under them will be Divi Neguma Community Organisations and Divi Neguma Banks which will function with the assistance of the 26 member-Divi Neguma National Council.
The department’s special feature is that not only Samurdhi beneficiaries but also any Divi Neguma beneficiary who has contributed to national productivity is entitled to join it.
Their work and that of the community, provincial and other relevant organisations will be combined by a National Congress via district committees. The Divi Neguma Banks Association will streamline and consolidate the management of the Divi Neguma campaign.
