I don’t intend to make Sri Lanka a welfare state -Sajith

By Yohan Perera   
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa said he does not intend to make Sri Lanka a welfare state and will turn the poor into entrepreneurs.   
Speaking during a rally in Mawathagama, Mr. Premadasa said his new poverty alleviation programme is aimed at making the poor successful entrepreneurs.   
“Our new poverty alleviation programme is based on investment, export and saving. We will provide Rs 20,000 monthly to each poor family for a period of two years. They will have to use these funds and start up a business project. We will see to it that the poor would become successful entrepreneurs,” he said.   

“Sri Lanka cannot remain as a welfare state anymore,” he added.  “Both NPP candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake and independent candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe has got into a secret pact. They have done so to prevent my victory at the presidential election. They are afraid that I would become a successful leader if I come into power. They are scared that our programme to develop Sri Lanka would succeed,” he also said.   
Mr. Premadasa reiterated his plea to write off loans provided to farmers and to cancel the written off loans of large scale businessmen who have borrowed millions and millions without any collateral. “Some question me as to how I am going to write off loans provided to farmers. I will show them how I am going to do it,” he said in this regard.   
Also he said he would reintroduce the policies of his late father President R Premadasa if he comes to power.