‘Praja Shakthi’ national programme launched to eradicate poverty

The ‘Praja Shakthi’ national programme, aimed at eradicating rural poverty and uplifting local communities, was officially launched on Friday (4) in a ceremony at Temple Trees in Colombo, under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Ministers and ruling party MPs were also in attendance at the event.

The “Praja Shakthi” national programme is one of the NPP government’s key initiatives aimed at empowering communities and ensuring equitable distribution of economic advantages.

Aligned with the government’s policy statement, the “Praja Shakthi” programme was officially launched on Friday (04) under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Disanayake. 

It adopts a multifaceted approach to community empowerment, with a strong focus on structured social protection for vulnerable groups, according to the government.

Currently, one in every six Sri Lankans suffers from multidimensional poverty, with approximately 95.3% of this population residing in rural and estate sectors. The continued persistence of this condition negatively impacts the country’s economy and production systems. 

In response, the “Praja Shakthi” programme aims to systematically address these disparities by strengthening communities and implementing targeted social safety nets.

Unlike previous anti-poverty initiatives that were often fragmented across different governments, this programme marks a significant shift by adopting an integrated approach focused on community empowerment, the government has said.

Notably, the education sector – long regarded as a key driver in alleviating poverty, has not been formally recognized as a core part of these efforts. The new initiative intends to correct this by incorporating education alongside other key sectors such as health, transportation, food security and marketing.

As part of this new strategic direction, three structural reforms have been proposed to implement the “Praja Shakthi” programme effectively:

At the national level, a National Policy Council on “Praja Shakthi”, chaired by the President and comprising nine Cabinet Ministers, has already been established. Its aim is to guide the implementation of the programme, with the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment, Upali Pannilage, serving as convener.

To execute the policy council’s decisions, a “Praja Shakthi” National Operations Committee has been set up under the chairmanship of the same Minister. Its members include nine Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Chief Secretaries. The committee’s Secretary and Convener is the Senior Additional Secretary to the President (Development Administration).

A Community Development Council will be formed at the Grama Niladhari Division level to oversee this national programme in collaboration with Regional Coordination Committees, District Coordination Committees, Ministries and Provincial Councils, extending to the national level. The Chairman of this Committee will be designated by the Chairman of the Regional Development Committee, while an officer from the Divisional Secretariat will serve as the Secretary.

These councils are tasked with identifying development priorities and vulnerable groups requiring social protection. Membership will include representatives from all community segments academics, entrepreneurs, businesspersons, industrialists and public servants.