The projects will be implemented in the districts of Moneragala, Badulla, Ratnapura, Hambantota, Matara, Galle and Polonnaruwa.

The Ministry reached 712,669 people through several projects in rural areas during the last half of 2007, and the first half of 2008 has seen the number benefitting increase to 898,238.
The Gemidiriya Community Development and Livelihood Improvement Project was designed to assist the implementation of the Government Poverty Alleviation Strategy.

The World Bank has agreed to provide funds of USD 181 million for the implementation of the project over a period of 12 years. A grant of USD 51 million has already been made available by the World Bank for the first phase of four years. The Gemidiriya model has been pilot tested successfully by the Village Self-Help Learning Initiative (VSHLI) in Polonnaruwa District in the past five years.

The development objective of the 12 year Gemidiriya Programme is to enable rural communities to improve their livelihoods and quality of life.

The first phase aims to enable the communities of the Uva and Southern Provinces and the Ratnapura District of the Sabaragamuwa Province to build accountable and self-governing local institutions and to manage sustainable investments.