SOCIAL WORK

1. S M IRSHAD 8/18/2020
TMA-2 SSU-2208-SOCIAL WORK & WELFARE
1
BA DEGREE IN SOCIAL SCIENCES
LEVEL -4, SEMESTER-2
TMA-2
SSU-2208-SOCIAL WORK & WELFARE
REG-NO-30730163
3) (A) describe poverty alleviation measures in Sri Lanka during the colonial period.
In the colonial period in Sri Lanka there are some major transformations of social and
economic conditions of the people. Especially the major social problems such as poverty,
health care and primary education are commonly seen.
There are some major studies and measures on poverty conducted by the British colonial
government, economists, and scholars for the eradication of poverty. There are some
measures like The Weddeburn Report (1934) and The Newnham Report (1936) the
most prominent and influenced for the social development of Sri Lanka.
Considering these measures and studies laid by the British scholar the colonial
government introduce a food subsidy scheme as a poverty alleviation measuere.during
the 1930s there was a global economic dropping due to the 2nd world war.
The malaria epidemic, the drought these were contributed to the major development of
poverty alleviation measures in that period.
Basically rice and flour rationed and soled at constant prices to maintain the cost of
living. Apart from this the rationing system and price control were the poverty alleviation
measures in the colonial period.
Therefore the British’s laid the foundation for the poverty alleviations in Sri Lanka.

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(b) Identify the main objectives and programmes of the department of social
services in the 1940s.
The foundation for the department of social services was laid by Sir Ivor Jennings; vice
chancellor of the University of Ceylon produced a report in 1947.
That was the Jennings report on social services, a complete analysis of social problems in
Sri Lanka during that period. The report examines the issues like the provision of social
security for the aged, the disabled, the poor and the unemployed groups.
These considerations has implemented to the establishment of department of social
services in 1948 at the time of independence.
The major objectives and programmes of department of social services are,
 National administration of welfare schemes relating to the poor ordinance of
1939.
 Social welfare for the aged disabled and handicapped.
 Relief payments for the patients of tuberculosis, leprosy and widows.
 Disaster relief.
These are the major objectives and programmes of department of social services.

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6) Critically examine the administrative process of poverty alleviation progrmmes
after independence.
Poverty was a leading social consequence of Sri Lanka after independence. The
Janasaviya and the Samurdhi programmes are the significant poverty alleviation
strategies in the country.
There is a food subsidy programme centered on free or concessional rice and applied
universally across the population was the main poverty support system in Sri Lanka until
1977.this was dismantled and a targeted food stamp program was started in the late
1970s.
So the administration of the poverty alleviation process was administered by the
government authorities. The Samurdhi programme was administered by the supervision
of the Department of the Samurdhi Commission General (DSCG) and this has the
responsibility for the operation of human resource development and institutional
development programmes.
On the other hand The Department of Poor Relief and The Samurdhi Authority of Sri
Lanka also involved in the administration of these programmes.a large scale of
community organization also supported to this programme.
The Samurdhi programme included with below mentioned sectoral supporters are,
 The group five-community organizations at rural level.
 The Samurdhi Task Force- the organization of the Grama Niladhari division
 The Divisional Samurdhi Committees
 The District Samurdhi Committees.
There are 21,557 officials appointed for this administration of this programme and 13,560
Samurdhi Animators to the Grama Niladhari division by the department of the Samurdhi
commission general (DSCG) in the end of 1998.these were the administration process of
poverty alleviation after the independence.

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COMMENTS AND SUGGESSIONS:
REFERENCES
 SSU-2208, Block1 & 2, Social Work and Welfare, OUSL, BA level-4, Course
Material.
 Saman Kelegama, Poverty Situation and Policy in Sri Lanka.Delevered
Speech at the Asia Pacific Forum on Poverty.2001 at Manila, Asian
Development Bank.
 CRDS Panel of Authors 1995, Sri Lanka year 2000: Towards the 21st
Century, Ceylon Printer Limited.
 An Analytical Description of Poverty in Sri Lanka, Marga Institute1981.
 Daily News Papers and Internet Articles.