Development projects on schedule, President tells officials in Kilinochchi

Dharma Sri Abeyratne in Kilinochchi

Development programmes on track will be completed on schedule, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told government officials in Killinochchi.

He urged them to closely monitor development activities, especially focusing on approved quality standards,

He also instructed them to commission completed development and infrastructure programmes without delay.

President Rajapaksa said funds allocated for many development activities by the government, come by way of loans.

“Hence, it is the officials’ responsibility to get the optimum out of the funds allocated for development activities. The planned development activities should continue as scheduled and these development activities should not be halted for any reason,” the President said.

He was addressing the Special District Development Council meeting of Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu districts in Kilinnochchi on Tuesday.

President Rajapaksa urged officials to utilise all assets for development according to a proper plan designed in consultation with the government authorities, without squandering public money by implementing them arbitrarily.

The progress and the flaws of the development projects implemented in the two districts and the complaints by the public were discussed at the meeting.

The President said the final benefits of all these projects should pass on to the public and the money and lands utilised in a manner that brings maximum benefits to the country.

President Rajapaksa said the political authority and public servants are duty bound to take prompt and adequate steps to resolve issues in their respective fields for the benefit of the people.

“They must not allow things to drag on so that the subject will surface over and over again,” he said. Kilinochchi District Secretary Rubawathy Ketheeswaran presented the Kilinochchi district progress report while Mullaitivu District Secretary N Vethanayahan presented the Mullaitivu district progress report to the President.

“Government officials are entrusted with the responsibility to assist the public in obtaining redress to their problems, while performing an exemplary role in the service of the state,” the President said.

He said towns and urban areas develop rapidly, but such a fast development cannot be visible at rural level. During the discussion, officials pointed out that there was a scarcity of technical officers, nurses and teachers in the two districts. The President ordered District Secretaries to take suitable action to rectify the issue.

President Rajapaksa instructed officials to take measures to solve problems in the two districts focusing their attention on burning problems, such as teacher shortage, drinking water, issues relating to farming, animal husbandry, health needs, irrigation, urban development, road construction etc.

The officials of co-operatives and Sathosa institutions were instructed to intervene actively in controlling the prices of commodities.