Divineguma
| Coming into Force | 11 January 2013 |
| Act Number | 1 |
| Year | 2013 |
| Citation | No. 1 of 2013 |
WHEREAS, in furtherance of the economic development process and in giving effect to the national policy of alleviating poverty and ensuring social equity, it has become necessary to improve the individual, family, group and community centered livelihood development activities: AND WHEREAS, Samurdhi intends to mobilize people into a national development process at community level establishing samurdhi community based organizations thus building up regional, district and national level co-ordinating network and developing and promoting a micro- finance banking system:NOW THEREFORE be it enacted by the Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as follows:-
This Act may be cited as the Divineguma Act, No 1 of 2013, and the provisions of this Act other than this section, shall come into operation on such date as the Minister may appoint by Order published in the Gazette (hereinafter referred to as the "appointed date"). The provisions of this section shall come into operation on the date on which this Act becomes an Act of Parliament.
There shall be established for the purpose of this Act, a government department called the Samurdhi Development Department (in this Act referred to as the "Department").
(1) There shall be appointed a Director-General of the Department (in this Act referred to as the "Director-General") and such other officers and servants as may be required from time to time to carry out the powers and functions of the Department. (2) The Director-General may delegate in writing to any public officer any of his powers, functions and duties as may from time to time be considered necessary.
4. The objects of the Department shall be:- (a) to carry out such development activities as may be required to alleviate poverty and to bring about a society guaranteeing social equity; (b) to promote the individual, family, group and community centered livelihood economic development activities; (c) to ensure food security for each individual and family; (d) to mobilize and empower people to speed up the national development; (e) to provide micro-financial facilities for the purpose of promoting the livelihood development of people; (f) to develop physical and social infrastructure facilities as may be required for the development of the livelihood of people; (g) to carry out such studies and research as may be required relating to the economic and social upliftment of people; (h) to develop the human capital in order to uplift living standards of people; and (i) to create a social security network for those who are in need of social security.
5. The Department shall, in the discharge of its functions have the power:- [§4, 2 of 2017] (a) to supervise and monitor the establishment, control and management of samurdhi community based organizations, samurdhi regional organizations and samurdhi district committees; [§4, 2 of 2017] (b) to create a network of organizations linking samurdhi beneficiaries at zonal, district, regional, village, Grama Niladari division and community level and attend to matters connected therewith or incidental thereto; (c) to establish centres for storage, marketing and processing of the products of samurdhi beneficiaries and to make available physical and financial resources for the said purpose; [§4, 2 of 2017] (d) to maintain the Samurdhi Development Fund and the Samurdhi Revolving Fund established under sections 36 and 37 of this Act; [§4, 2 of 2017] (e) to utilize the moneys of the Samurdhi Development Fund and the Samurdhi Revolving Fund for the purpose of this Act; [§4, 2 of 2017] (f) to supervise, manage, monitor and audit samurdhi community based organizations, samurdhi regional organisations, samurdhi district committees, samurdhi community based banks and samurdhi community based banking societies; [§4, 2 of 2017] (g) to arrange for the conduct of lotteries with the assistance of the National Lotteries Board to raise funds for the Samurdhi Development Fund; (h) to collect information as may be required, to plan, supervise, monitor and implement the samurdhi development programmes; (i) to secure the co-operation of government departments, state institutions, local authorities, public corporations, provincial authorities and other private or public bodies, natural or legal persons; [§4, 2 of 2017] (j) to assist in implementing samurdhi development programmes, by samurdhi community based organizations and samurdhi regional organizations; (k) to implement and operate programmes which will economically and socially uplift living standards of people and to develop infrastructure facilities; (l) to utilize the resources of the Department for the purposes of training and awareness programmes that may be conducted by the Department; (m) to take such measures as may be necessary to purchase raw-materials, equipment, technology and products of samurdhi beneficiaries for the purpose of promoting the activities of samurdhi beneficiaries and to store them and make them available to producers as and when the need arises; (n) to provide marketing facilities including the setting up of marketing centers enabling samurdhi beneficiaries to introduce and sell their products at national and international markets and to maintain, monitor and supervise such centers; (o) to liaise with governmental and non-governmental organizations; [§4, 2 of 2017] (p) to assign the responsibility of implementing samurdhi development projects to samurdhi community based organizations and samurdhi regional organizations; (q) to possess and hold, any property movable or immovable, which may become vested in it by virtue of any purchase, grant, gift, testamentary disposition or otherwise; and (r) to attend to all matters connected with or incidental to such objects and functions as are specified in this Act.
6. The functions of the Department shall be :- (a) to formulate and facilitate such projects that would improve the income generation of individuals, families, groups and communities; (b) to assist in increasing the employment opportunities of devineguma beneficiaries; (c) to promote marketing activities; (d) to develop necessary awareness of the community on livelihood development; (e) to motivate people towards environmental friendly lifestyle; (f) to liaise with such institutions...
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