Statistics of extreme poverty in Sri Lanka's Western Province

(September 24, 2010) Sri Lanka’s Western Provincial Council has decided to increase the poverty concession to Rs. 1000 per month since 2011.

Now, the extremely poor people of the Western Province are paid Rs. 350, an amount less than three US dollars per month.

The poverty concession per a person per month is Rs. 150, just above one dollar per month and the maximum paid for a family so far is Rs. 350.

There were 72,028 recipients of this poverty concession in 2009, according to Western Provincial Council statistics.

Announcing the budget of the Western Provincial Council for 2011, Chief Minister Prasanna Ranathunga said yesterday that the council would spend Rs. 576.5 million for poverty concession.

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Posted in concession , poverty , Western Province

Sri Lanka to adopt Indian method to store paddy

(September 06, 2010) Sri Lanka has adopted Indian method of storing paddy outdoors. It was first put into practice at the Walpita Paddy Storage Complex in Divulapitiya on Friday (September 3) with the participation of the Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando.

Minister Fernando told The Island that six Indian experts were in the country to assist in storing paddy. The paddy loaded in gunny bags/sacks could be stored on a wooden platform on stilts and covered by thick polythene. That way, experts say, paddy could be kept in good condition for twelve to eighteen months.

The Minister said that the excess paddy from the Polonnaruwa District had been stored at the Walpita Storage Complex in keeping with the Indian method.

Sri Lanka was now self sufficient in paddy said Minister Johnston Fernando adding that according to estimates by the Agriculture Department the paddy harvest was about 1.5 million MT. It was problematic to purchase and store so much of paddy but the Indian method would be of great help.

Minister Fernando said that purchasing paddy from farmers would not be a problem in the future and the Indian method would be adopted in Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Ampara districts from today (September 6).

-Lal Gunasekara (The Island)

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Posted in paddy , Rice , storing paddy