The prospects of reaching full employment by the end of this century, among others will depend on the level of fertility during the next decade. Family planning should therefore, form an important element in population and manpower policy. According to the Socio-economic Survey of 1969-70, it was estimated that of the mothers who had five or more children, as many as 63 percent were in households with an income less than Rs.200 per month. Income redistribution through an employment programme for the relief of distress in this group can be adversely affected if the population of this group grows rapidly. Indeed, the effect of the anti-poverty programme can be delayed, reduced or even nullified if the low income groups continue to increase rapidly. It therefore, becomes all the more important that family planning facilities be made available to all groups of the population and not confined to the privileged sections of society.

Prof. J. M. Stycos, Director of the International Population Programme at Cornell and academic advisor to the Author in his letter to the Secretary Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs of the Government of Sri Lanka, stated as follows: " Mr. A.T.P.L. Abeykoon has just successfully completed his Masters degree here, with a concentration in population. He did excellent course work and wrote a very good thesis on aspects of future manpower factors in Sri Lanka. He is serious, hardworking, and competent; and should there be an opportunity for him to pursue advanced studies toward the Ph.D., we would be very interested in considering him. Thank you for sending him to us."