President vows to offer 150,000 jobs after election

"...the economy must be uplifted," the President said while meeting with residents of Kalutara, as the country expects economic growth to drop to 1.5 percent by 2020.

He added that the government is following a policy of procuring local products instead of imports as part of efforts to build the national economy.

The President also stressed that the government is attempting to control activities of underworld criminal gangs, and sought public support to this effect.

"We need information from village levels to do that," Rajapaksa noted.

While attending a series of rallies in Kalutara, President Rajapaksa pledged to resolve drinking water problems of the people and also drew attention towards refurbishing the Kalutara Nursing Home.