The main cause for rural poverty is drug addiction since a great amount of money is spent on drugs. That is why the government launched a broad programme to wipe out the drug menace from the country, President Sirisena said.“We need to create a drug-free village today so as to create an advanced country in the future. Everyone is duty-bound to fulfil their responsibility in the programme of wiping out the drug menace from the country,” he said.

President Sirisena took measures to construct this housing project as per the request made by the villagers in December 2018 when he visited the Asirigama village.While vesting the village in the people, the President handed over the ownership of two houses to two beneficiaries as well. The President also handed over motorcycles to some state officers of the North Central Province. In line with the event, the President commissioned the newly constructed B.P. Abeykoon Memorial Auditorium at Kekirawa Central College. The auditorium was constructed at a cost of Rs. 45 million.