The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the President’s policy statement of the NPP Government to the Tenth Parliament.

¶ 02 “Prosperous Country, Beautiful Life” is a policy document prepared over about six years through wide consultations with experts, professionals, and people across Sri Lanka and abroad. The President presented its essence to this House. The Opposition noted we seek the next IMF review while aiming at prosperity. Yes—we fully understand today’s realities: nearly US$104 billion in total external obligations accrued over 77 years; the Department of Census and Statistics indicates over seven million people live below the national poverty line; and our economy is trapped under a mountain of debt.

¶ 03 With that understanding, professionals like us left our careers to join the NPP to rebuild the country. The core of “Prosperous Country, Beautiful Life” is to eradicate entrenched poverty—rural, urban-underprivileged, and in estate communities—every specific pocket.

¶ 04 Poverty is not merely an economic metric. The 2022–2023 UNDP report “Understanding Multidimensional Vulnerabilities: Impact on People of Sri Lanka” frames deprivation across three pillars: Living Standards, Education, and Health. Annually about 320,000 students sit for Grade 1 admissions; yet our 17 state universities admit only around 50,000—leaving roughly 270,000 behind each year. We claim free education for 77 years, but outcomes are inadequate. There are 10,126 schools, about 386 national schools, and only around 3,000 schools with full A/L streams. Similarly, though healthcare is free, out-of-pocket spending is high, and Sri Lanka’s WHO comparative rank slid from 75 (2020) to about 105 (2024). Our policy therefore launches a renaissance in education and strengthens health to reduce multidimensional vulnerability.

¶ 05 On rural poverty: about 32% of cultivable land is under paddy, and 24.4% of our labour force is in agriculture, yet agriculture contributes only around 7% of GDP—revealing a stark productivity gap. On rice specifically, Sri Lanka requires roughly 2.4 million metric tonnes annually. Official data from Agriculture agencies show this is achievable across Maha and Yala seasons, though disasters like the recent floods disrupt supply. Our policy does not prefer imports; however, to protect consumers we adopted a short-term market intervention to import rice temporarily to stabilize supply.

¶ 06 Average national paddy yield is about 4.38 MT per hectare. With modern agronomy, water management, inputs, and technology, yields can reach 6–7 MT/ha. We have crafted a scientific programme to raise average yields towards 6 MT/ha, alongside assured irrigation and input support—so we can regain rice self-sufficiency sustainably.

¶ 07 On exports: traditionally tea, coconut, and rubber dominated. Tea still earns about US$1.2 billion, but policy missteps reduced it to US$840 million by 2021. Our plan is to double tea foreign exchange in about three years towards US$2.4–2.5 billion through science-based value addition and productivity. More broadly, we will lift rural incomes, including those in the informal sector, and that’s why a new Ministry—Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment—has been established.

¶ 08 Empowerment, not mere welfarism: post–World War II, pure welfare failed to develop nations; empowerment approaches succeeded. Accordingly, we are organizing a major community empowerment programme across rural, urban poor, and estate areas—to build capabilities and agency.

¶ 09 On targeted assistance, as outlined by the Government’s Chief Organizer this morning, we will protect the truly vulnerable: - The Elderly Assistance currently Rs. 3,000 for about 820,000 beneficiaries will be increased to Rs. 5,000 from the next Budget. - The disability allowance currently Rs. 7,500 for roughly 420,000 persons will rise to Rs. 10,000 in the next Budget. - For around 50,000 patients with chronic illnesses such as CKD, the Rs. 7,500 allowance will increase to Rs. 10,000, to be implemented via the forthcoming Budget.

¶ 10 This NPP Government exists to end rural poverty and protect those in need, while dismantling structural social inequalities and delivering “a prosperous country and a beautiful life” for all. Thank you.