The Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) yesterday (22) noted that they welcome the Cabinet paper proposed by President and Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies Ranil Wickremesinghe, which was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers and seeks to uplift the living standards of the Tamil community in plantations, marking the 200-year anniversary of the community’s arrival in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to The Morning, TPA Leader and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Opposition MP Mano Ganesan yesterday said that his party welcomes the decision, noting, however, that this is just the beginning and not the conclusion.
“This proposal was proposed to the Cabinet by the President, and we are happy about it. But we cannot conclude that everything is fine now. It is not so, and it is just the beginning. In recent times, I have been extremely vocal within as well as outside Parliament about the marginalised segment of the hill-country Tamil community. They are experiencing the highest rates of poverty.
“I have highlighted that they are also affected by food insecurity. We have seen the President responding to us in Parliament as well, but so far, we have not seen anything contributory from the Government led by the President to uplift the living standards of the hill-country Tamil people to the national level.
“We need the Government to pay more attention to our people because their communities are underdeveloped, but that special attention has not come through yet. During a recent meeting, I said that there had been no such recognition and evaluation of the contribution made by the Indian-origin Tamil community, especially what the plantation workers have contributed to the economy of this country,” he added.
The upcountry Tamil people, who migrated from India and are now residing in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, and Southern Provinces, have been contributing to the national economy in various ways for almost 200 years. Reportedly, their contribution accounts for one-third of the total income of the plantation sector.
February 2023 will mark 200 years since the arrival of the first generations of the upcountry Tamil community to Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the Cabinet agreed to the resolution made by President Wickremesinghe to implement the identified programmes with the aim of improving the living conditions of this community through the Ministry of Plantation and other relevant Government bodies.