Gamlath says 2022 Budget focusing on production economy will be big boost

Mahaweli Zone Canals and Settlement Public Infrastructure Development State Minister Siripala Gamlath this week said a production economy-oriented Budget 2022 would be a big boost for the country.

He said that more allocations being made in the upcoming Budget for agricultural, educational, health and infrastructure facilities development in rural areas could be looked forward to when the 2022 Budget was presented in November by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

The State Minister made this observation when he attended the National Organic Home Garden program held at the Galnewa and Thalawa Divisions of the Mahaweli H Zone.

He said the aim of this Home Garden Week was to target 400,000 young female farmers of Mahaweli families and introduce their products including paddy, cereals such as green gram, and vegetable seeds under the Mahaweli label.

‘Mahaweli Farming Battle’ which covers 12 Administrative Zones of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority will assist to increase the agricultural produce during the ‘Cultivation Promotion Week’. These 12 zones contribute the highest share to the national agriculture production.

The Irrigation Ministry and the State Ministry of Irrigation and Mahaweli will guide the farmers in the Mahaweli Zones to make the ‹Prosperity Agricultural Development Program› success under the ‘Vision of Prosperity’ introduced on the directive of the President, State Minister Gamlath said.

Gamlath inspected the Home Gardens in Galnewa, Thalawa and Thambuttegama in the Mahaweli H Zone and participated in several awareness programs on planting food seedlings and the correct system of cultivation.

Addressing the gathering, State Minister Gamlath said that the development program which was launched in the rural areas after the war collapsed in 2015. He said the anticipation of the current Government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was to re-launch the once collapsed development activities.

“Simultaneously, the intention of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is to create happy families in all communities thereby building a decent society in the country. He also intends to develop an efficient Public Service and continue it without fraud and corruption. The aim of the Government is to grant more allocations giving priority to strengthen the production economy. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa has made the necessary background in that regard.”

Accordingly, the Government expects to develop infrastructure facilities in agriculture, health and education in order to upgrade the living conditions of the people in the rural areas. A week for organic farming has been named with a plan of long-term results. The President is keen on toxic-free agriculture with the intention of creating a healthy generation.

“There could be many challenges when it is implemented but such challenges should be treated with an open mind while drawing attention to the future generation and the economy of the country. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was brought to power by farmers so he would not take decisions against the farming community. He has a clear understanding of the problems of the farmers. Do not forget that the President undertook a country with a collapsed economy. It has further fallen due to the COVID-19 and we do not need to hide it. Our citizens have been vaccinated at a faster pace than that of the countries which manufactured the anti-corona vaccines. It is our victory. Our people could have been at a grave risk had President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa not been in power. However, we have been relieved from such a risk today,” he said.

Mahaweli Development Ministry Secretary Chandra Herath, Mahaweli Agriculture Director Neville Rajapakse, Mahaweli Technology Director T Ranasinghe, Residential Enterprise Manager of the Mahaweli H Zone Sugath Weerasinghe and several others participated.