*Government ensures quality housing for sake of children
*Obstacles do not deter in working for people's well-being -President
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday reaffirmed the Government's commitment to provide safe and healthy shelter for every Sri Lankan family within the next few years, while launching the 'Jana Sevana' housing program, which aims to construct one million houses within the next six years.
"We reaffirm our commitment to the right to adequate housing. In this context, we recognize an obligation by the Government to enable people to obtain shelter and to protect and improve dwellings and neighbourhoods," he added.
The President stressed that the Government was committed to provide adequate shelter for every Sri Lankan family in line with the cherished goal proclaimed in the 'Mahinda Chinthana'.
The 'Jana Sevana' Housing Development Project commenced yesterday with the foundation laying to construct 560 housing units at Mihindupura, Kirulapana. Under the program 60 thousand houses are to be constructed during this year.
The program aims to provide every Sri Lankan family with an adequate house within the next six years. It caters to the needs of diverse groups when obtaining housing facilities, from slum dwellers, low income owners to middle income earners, professionals and others.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the gathering after launching the program said that access to safe and healthy shelter and basic services was being recognized by the Government as essential to a person's physical, psychological, social and economic well-being.
"In this connection he said that adequate shelter should be available for all, especially the deprived urban and rural poor, through an enabling approach to the development and improvement of shelter that is environmentally sound.
"The slum dwellers should not be slum dwellers for life. These people are denied basic facilities at times. They fall victim to floods, disease and various social anomalies. As a Government it is our duty to provide them safe and healthy housing," the President said.
He also said that a safe, secure and healthy environment should be created for the child to grow up and identified permanent shelter as a key component in the process.
"It would uplift living standards and create an educated and disciplined society. This in turn would contribute positively to the country's overall growth", he observed.
He also said that the core philosophy in the 'Mahinda Chinthana' was to uplift the family by fostering the individual and thereby contributing to the development of the village and finally the entire country.
"We work to achieve this objective and obstacles in our way would not deter us from working for the well-being of the masses and the country", he added.
The President pointed out to the gathering that today Sri Lanka as a country was undergoing tremendous transformation.
“On one side we have ended terrorism which plagued the country for 30 years. On the other we have launched ‘Mathata Thitha’ to combat alcohol, tobacco and drugs abuse. The income earning capacity of the public has gone up”. The per capita income which reached a maximum of US $ 1030 after Independence has been doubled to reach US $ 2,400 during the last five years”, the President said. “Also we launched mega development projects, even as we fought to end the scourge of terrorism. We have achieved new heights in education.
IT and technology has been added to education as some of the key components, the President said. He also noted that today the people were enjoying true sense of freedom and the fact was evident through activities, everywhere.
The President on the occasion also invited all to join hands irrespective of differences to make ‘Jana Sevana’ a success and thereby realize the goal of ‘shelter for all’. Construction, Engineering Services,Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa under whose direct purview the project would be implemented also spoke. Government Ministers, Politicians, State administrative officers, clergy and the general public took part.
