(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Rs. 2,500 million was released on December 29 to enable the farmers to purchase their much needed fertiliser for this season, President Maithripala Sirisena said.
The President said that following information that the farmer community had not received money into their bank accounts to purchase fertiliser this season he made inquiries about it from the Finance Ministry and issued directives to release the money to the relevant bank accounts of farmers on December 29 itself. The President disclosed this when he addressed a ‘Jana Hamuwa’ at Bendiwewa in Polonnaruwa on December 30.
The President, who stressed the importance of the views and suggestions of public servants as well as people’s representatives in promoting rural development by resolving the problem of rural folk, said funds needed were adequately available but what was needed was a group of people’s representatives dedicated towards the development of the rural sector.
This problem would be overcome with the local council elections to be held on February 10, the President said adding that along with it, the programme aimed to provide development dividends to rural folk by resolving their problems would be implemented concurrently with the extensive development programme countrywide.
North Central Province Chief Minister Peshala Jayaratne, people’s representatives in the area and UPFA candidates contesting the Thamankaduwa Pradesheeya Sabha elections were present.