Sri Lanka per capita Income US$2400 for 2010

The department of census and statistics has estimated that the 2010 GNP per head is Rs275,000. By any stretch this is a fantastic figure, which when taken in the context of numbers we assume fall well below this level, mean that there are a lot of very very wealthy people to be able to get to this average.

I cannot see any proposals currently of improving the lot of those who are below Rs100,000 who I would assume fall into the poverty line. I am willing to wager that much of the increase in the past 6 years is as a result of those above the GNP average increasing their share, rather than those at the lower end coming up. I would like to be proved wrong in my assumptions, but I believe this period has seen such a windfall for the wealthy so as to take them to stratospheric levels to increase the GNP average.

The Divi Neguma program I am sure is aimed at helping 1,000,000 households which could average 5,000,000 people (25%) of the population to be able to increase their income levels, but is it structured correctly to achieve this result? I don't believe this good idea has been converted into a great action plan with the emphasis and funds as well as the direction that is required.

In my area in Polonnaruwa I was asking some neighbors about this and all they said is that they were given about Rs100 of seeds to plant in their home gardens.

It is a shame that there is no consistent approach to tackle the serious issues of the day and that everything is converted into an election slogan to hoodwink the electorate that there is something very positive for them, when billions are robbed as part of the daylight robbery that is taking place from the people and the country beautifully disguised in the name of projects and promises.