Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga says the development projects implemented by the local government agencies, which have been temporarily stopped in the current economic situation, will be restarted from January.
The Minister also said that a program to get equipment for school children who are unable to get school equipment due to the current economic situation and special projects to improve the nutritional status of children from low-income families are being implemented by the local authorities.
Minister Prasanna Ranatunga mentioned this in a discussion held recently at the Gampaha district office with the heads of local government bodies.
The Minister said certain circulars have hindered local government members from carrying out development activities. “Even though the governor took steps to release those circulars, they have not been implemented. Therefore, the decisions taken in this discussion need to be implemented without changing.”
“With the current economic crisis, the price of school children’s books has increased. It has become a reason why some children do not go to school. With the current economic crisis, pay more attention to low-income earners, malnutrition, school children’s problems, and if you can do something for local producers, pay more attention to it. Also something should be done for pregnant mothers. Therefore, we have advised the local government bodies to act in a way that suits the economic crisis and strengthen the government without doing large-scale projects through the provisions of the local government bodies.”
“We first issued a circular to stop decentralized allocations. As a result, the development projects of some local government agencies have stopped. They can spend the assessment money collected by the local authorities.”
Noting that some of those who were in the ‘Aragalaya (anti-government protests) have become secretaries, the Minister advised to keep politics aside and create the background where the chairmen of the local governments can continue their work.
“Take and use fixed deposits of local authorities. Government money is not for keeping fixed deposits, it is for work. An election is coming. There is an economic crisis in the country. Therefore, use the money in the fixed deposits of the local government bodies working in the villages. Provide solutions to the problems of the people in the villages. Make projects targeting people’s problems and start work from January 1st. Let me know if there is any problem. I will talk to the local government secretaries,” the Minister said.
Gampaha District Coordinating Committee Chairman, MP Sahan Pradeep, Minister of State Prasanna Ranaweera, Members of Parliament Milan Jayathilaka, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksa, Gampaha Government Agent Saman Darshana Padikorala, Western Province Chief Secretary Jayanthi Wijetunga, Western Province Governor Secretary PA Somasiri, Western Province Commissioner ADPA Prasanna and Gampaha district local government heads and government officials participated in the meeting.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
