The Minister drew his attention to the perennial problems faced by the rural farmers and business community during his interaction with the residents of Wilachchiya. The farmers and businessmen in Wilachchiya presented their recurrent livelihood problems including issues of fertilizer, agricultural implement and other issues relating to irrigation and irrigation tanks to the visiting minister.

Themeeting with the farming community of Kokkichchiya was held under a series of programs organized by the Ministry of Finance to discuss the existing problems of the businessmen and farmers in rural provinces on the guidance of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Compiling of public proposals for the Budget 2017 was also carried out on the sidelines of these meetings.

“We travelled throughout the island and collected views from about 1,534 organizations before we prepared Budget 2016. We hope to collect public ideas in the same manner before we prepare Budget 2017 too.