Bringing an end to another introduction of the Rajapaksa era, the Cabinet of Ministers gave its approval to change the name of Divi Neguma Development Department to Samurdhi Department.

The Co-cabinet spokesman Dr Rajitha Senaratne revealed this at the weekly Cabinet press briefing in Colombo today.

The Sri Lanka Samurdhi Authority, Upcountry Development Authority, Southern Development Authority, the Department of Upcountry Rural Rehabilitation and the Department of the Commissioner General of Samurdhi were merged in 2013 to establish the Divi Neguma Development Department.

The Cabinet approved a proposal put forward by the Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare S.B. Dissanayake, to amend the Divi Neguma Act No.1 of 2013 and change the name of the Divi Neguma Development Department to the Samurdhi Department.

Dissanayake was a pioneer of the Samurdhi movement when it was introduced under the former government of President Chandrika Kumaranatunga.