President instructs to prioritize national food production

Wednesday, 24 June 2015 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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President Maithripala Sirisena today emphasized the importance of introducing a national program giving priority to local food production for strengthening the national economy.

The President held a special discussion with the secretaries of all the Ministries Tuesday at the Presidential Secretariat and instructed the officials to prepare a national program on local food production, narcotics control, protection of natural resources and environmental conservation.

President Sirisena asked the Ministry secretaries to produce, within the next week, an account of the quantities of current food imports to the country and the amount of money spent on them.

Discussions also focused on ways to methodically enlighten the farming communities by promotional programs on seed plants and other matters related to crop production as the next season’s food programs are to begin within the next few months.

The President also discussed the implementation of a broader national program with all sectors combined to eradicate the drug menace from the country and strengthening the laws related to prevention and control of drug use.

During the meeting between the President and the secretaries attention was also given to the environmental conservation program for the protection of natural resources. The President instructed the officials to initiate a broad national program for environmental conservation through the Presidential Secretariat.

The President noted that although several programs have been implemented in disposal and conservation of solid waste, they are not implemented in some occasions and instructed the officials to formulate a national program to raise awareness among the people on their responsibility to protect the environment and natural resources. Following the discussions secretaries of all the ministries agreed to formulate a national program on local food production, narcotics control, natural resources protection, and environmental conservation with the cooperation and support of all ministries under the direct involvement and advice of the Presidential Secretariat.

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