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Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa
The Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Monday (24) approved the implementation of the ‘Praja Shakthi’ program, a multifaceted poverty alleviation initiative aimed at addressing the country’s rising levels of multidimensional poverty.
The ‘Praja Shakthi’ program aims to provide a consolidated framework that not only ensures social security for vulnerable communities, but also empowers individuals to become active participants in the economic process.
This initiative aligns with both the Government’s policy visions of ‘A Wealthy Nation – Secured Life’ (Posath Ratak – Surakshitha Jeewithayak).
“By restructuring existing poverty alleviation measures and introducing targeted interventions, the Government hopes to break the cycle of dependency and create sustainable economic opportunities for marginalised communities,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said on Tuesday at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing.
Citing the latest data, he said one in six people currently experiences multidimensional poverty, with 95.3% of the affected population residing in rural and estate areas.
In 2000, a total of 1.1 million people were enrolled in such programs and that figure expanded to 1.57 million by 2010, and further rose to 1.79 million by 2024.
Amid these growing numbers, poverty remains a persistent issue, highlighting the need for a more effective strategy that integrates social security with economic participation.
Despite decades of poverty alleviation programs, Dr. Jayatissa opined that none have yielded satisfactory outcomes, prompting the Government to adopt a more structured and long-term approach.
“Over the years, both the number of beneficiaries and the financial resources allocated to poverty relief efforts have increased significantly,” he added.
