Image: A Graffiti by a para military group.
More than 100,000 people from low income families with no formal education will be provided with employment in sectors such as masonry, carpentry, agriculture, fisheries and forest conservation after being trained under the supervision of the Ministry of Defence and the tri-forces, reports Sunday Times .
The aim if the force said to be the empowerment of families eligible for the Samurdhi benefits and unskilled youth from low income families with no formal education. Calling for applications will begin this week.
Once trained by the military and placements done a monthly income of Rs. 35,000 will be paid to each of them by the government.
The recruitment will be done only after officials have visited the families and recorded the information.
“More than 10,000 graduates will be recruited for the positions of management and monitoring at the field level,” Director General of President’s Media Division Mohan Samaranayake has told the Sunday Times.
Although it is reported that members of the task force will be trained in masonry, carpentry, agriculture, fisheries and forest conservation , the proposed Multi-Purpose Development Task Force will also assist government officials to maintain state properties and other civil activities.
The force could well be a kind of para military force, say political observers. Even the recruitment will be done with the assistance of security force officials, according to the Sunday Times.