Friday Sep 20, 2024
Friday Sep 20, 2024
Thursday, 3 February 2022 05:09 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa at the media briefing yesterday – Pic by Ruwan Walpola
The Government will kick off a Rs. 100 billion revival at grassroots level today, in keeping with the 2022 Budget promise.
Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa last night told journalists that the initiative timed at the auspicious 8:52 a.m. today, hopefully will unleash a revitalisation of livelihood, socio-economic infrastructure, environment and social development at village level sans politics.
The grandiose initiative involves 100,000 people championing projects of Rs. 1 million each at village level bringing a 2022 Budget-allocated Rs. 100 billion into fruition. “This is a bipartisan initiative as it covers all districts and electorates even if the ruling party hadn’t won a seat,” Basil said. He cited Colombo and Jaffna where non-ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) candidates didn’t secure a clear victory. “For example, in Colombo, of the 49 elected representatives the majority (47) are from outside the Government. In Kolonnawa all five representatives are non-SLPP but the Government will support the projects,” Basil added.
The Budget 2022 allocated Rs. 85 billion for the village-level development as envisioned by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s “Gama Pilisandara” project as well as Rs. 15 billion allocated for the “shop-house” proposal.
“What is unique is that these projects are championed by villages and implemented in collaboration with public servants. The Government is only supporting it via funding. It is important that these projects would eventually serve towards realising macro national development goals,” Basil added.
