Govt's next target: Development of North
Task Force committee for Northern development, a
prelude to NPC:
The Task Force Committee for Northern development
which was set up as a prelude to the Northern Provincial Council by
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has launched its programs without any delay
soon after the committee obtained Cabinet approval on Wednesday,
according to the Chairman of the Task Force Committee and Minister of
Social Welfare Douglas Devananda.
Minister Devananda told the Sunday Observer that the
President's initiative was timely as it would give hope for the
Northerners with regard to the region's overall development activities
when the Eastern region was going for Provincial Council polls this
week.
"In fact the forming of the Task Force Committee for
Northern Development is a prelude to the Northern Provincial Council and
it is expected to be created with an election following the formation of
the Provincial Council for the Eastern province.
Therefore, the committee will now focus extensively on
the overall development activities in the North simultaneously with the
development plans to be generated with the formation of the Eastern
Provincial Council, Minister Devananda said.
Commenting on the priorities of the Northern Task
Force Committee, Minister Devananda said that the Task Force Committee's
functions would be broadbased covering the areas of Jaffna, Vavuniya,
Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu.
"The expectations of the people of the North and East
were enormous with regard to the reconstruction and rehabilitation
activities along with fulfilling their political aspirations with the
formation of the North East province in 1988.
Even the Government of India supported the Sri Lankan
Government to see the success of the North and East Provincial Council
which came into effect following the Indo-Lanka Accord. However, the
North and East Provincial Council was shortlived with the LTTE
disrupting it.
The bold and timely action by President Rajapaksa in
setting up the Northern Task Force Committee has re-kindled the hopes of
the Northerners of having a political body while the East is going for
the PC polls this week," he said.
Minister Devananda said that agriculture which
remained the life-line of the Northerners will be given the utmost
priority along with developing other areas such as fisheries and small
industries.
"The education, health, and transport sectors which
had been neglected for the past several years will be re-structured
along with extensive plans to re-settle the internally displaced
civilians in the North," he said.
The Task Force Committee for Northern Development
comprises Resettlement, Disaster and Relief Services Minister Rishard
Badiudeen and the Senior Presidential Advisor Parliamentarian Basil
Rajapaksa.
The first meeting of the Northern Task Force Committee
will be held shortly, according to Minister Devananda.
Courtesy: Sunday Observer |
