Sri Lanka Scales Up Prajashakthi Poverty Alleviation with Digital Push 📈

The government’s flagship Prajashakthi National Movement has expanded to all 25 districts, transitioning into a high-tech phase to streamline rural development and social empowerment. • Financial Allocation: A total of Rs. 180 billion (approx. US$ 581 million) is earmarked for rural development in the 2026 Budget to support this initiative. • Digital Transformation: A new digital support system (Management Information System) has been launched to standardize project identification, improve data-driven oversight, and ensure transparency in fund utilization across 14,000+ Grama Niladhari divisions. • Grassroots Execution: Community Development Councils are now actively formulating "Integrated Village Development Plans," shifting from top-down aid to community-led growth. • Economic Impact: The program targets "multidimensional poverty"—which currently affects one in six Sri Lankans—by integrating the village production economy and supply chain development into the national growth framework. The expansion aims to boost medium-term economic growth from 5% to a targeted 7% by converting welfare recipients into active economic participants.