Archives

Think tank for Western Region Development

By Ranga Jayasuriya.

In a bid to accelerate private sector and the Government collaboration in development, Western Region Development Minister M.H. Mohamed appointed an advisory council to the Ministry yesterday.

The Council is chaired by the Deshamanya Lalith Kotalawala. It is expected to promote an approach based joint action and partnership amongst the public, private, volunteer and community stakeholders. The Council is expected to play a key role in promoting investment and poverty alleviation through human settlement - according to the Ministry statistics nearly 50% of Colombo population lives in slums, shanties and tenements.

"The challenge before the Council is to help the Ministry to accelerate development in this region, to help Sri Lanka to play a central role in the economic and other activities in the South Asian Region," the Minister said yesterday following the appointment of the Council.

The Council - comprising entrepreneurs, academics, professionals, NGOs, community leaders and experts in various disciplines - will be a decision and policy making body for the Urban Development Authority, the Regional Development Divisions and the National Physical Planning Department which come under the Ministry. It is expected to meet once a week, Lalith Kotalawala said. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager