Eliminating poverty and ensuring social justice biggest Lankan challenge : Basil
View(s):The recent distribution of 250 three-wheelers among self-employed persons at a ceremony in Colombo drew comments from Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa that the elimination of poverty and ensuring social justice to 1.8 million people living below the poverty line is the biggest challenge facing Sri Lanka.
The handout picture (from the Ministry) shows two happy children seated inside one of the three-wheelers.
“This can be done only by strengthening them economically and helping them to stand on their own feet. The way to reach this goal and make Sri Lanka a poverty-free land by 2016 is through self-employment opportunities rather than the traditional way of giving them jobs,” he said.
The event was organized by the Self-Employed Persons Federation which expects to distribute a total of 1000 three wheelers this year. The 250 vehicles were distributed under the third stage of the programme to which TVS Lanka and Orient Finance contributed. To date the association has distributed 650 three wheelers. Last December TVS Lanka provided 103 of them each worth Rs.460, 000 (market value).
According to a media statement from Minister Rajapaksa’s Ministry, there are nearly 500,000 three-wheeler drivers in the country while those providing spares and other services are 92,000. The number of those who directly benefit from this business by way of employment is 600,000. The indirect beneficiaries are nearly 2.5 million.
According to the Federation priority will be given to persons driving rented three wheelers for which they have to pay around Rs.500 per day to the owner. Seventy-one percent of those driving three-wheeler taxis in Sri Lanka own them. The balance 29 per cent drive rented vehicles.
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