Drugs are the main reason for poverty - President
October 10, 2019 12:57 pm
The comprehensive national program on illegal drug abuse was launched to alleviate the poverty of the rural masses, according to President Maithripala Sirisena.
He mentioned this addressing the event held to vest the Asirigama Village at Palugaswewa with the public, last morning (09).
The President stated that drugs are one of the main reasons for the increase in poverty in rural areas.
He said that this is why the government launched a comprehensive program against illegal drugs.
A village should be built free from drugs for a better country in the future, President Sirisena added.
The Asirigama Village at Palugaswewa in Anuradhapura was developed under the guidance of President Maithripala Sirisena under the Grama Shakthi People’s Movement.
On December 21, 2018, the President visited the village of Asirigama, Palugaswewa, where the people were confronted with many problems regarding their difficult lives, stated President’s Media Division.
As per his pledge to the people, Asirigama was actively developed as a member village of the Grama Shakthi People’s Movement launched by the President with the assistance of the Army to eradicate poverty.
Constructing a Buddhist temple including the construction of new school buildings, two pre-schools, and the construction of a Seva Piyasa building and the development of the road network completed under this program. Steps were also taken to improve the sanitation facilities were some of the major problems of the people in the area. The President commenced the construction of 43 houses to meet the housing requirements of the people of Asirigama.
The people of the area expressed their gratitude to the President for listening to their grievances and taking action to fulfill them.
President symbolically declared open two new houses to mark the vesting of new houses. The President handed over keys to the other recipients at this ceremony.
The President also handed over the newly built ‘P.B. Abeykoon Auditorium’ in Kekirawa Central College for the betterment of the children. The auditorium with all facilities was built at a cost of Rs 45 million.
Governor of North Central Province Sarath Ekanayake, Principal I. M. Dayaratne Bandara, the staff, parents, old students, and several others were also present at the occasion.
