The Prime Minister stated that the issues with regard to the ownership of the land should be settled for the cultivation at the Vavuniya District Food Security Program held today (2023.11.01) at the Vavuniya District Secretariat, in conjunction with the New Village - New Country National Programme.
Speaking on this occasion the Prime Minister further said that-
One of the issues prevailing in the Vavuniya District is the land issue. The second problem is the issues that have arisen for a long time due to conflict with the Forest Conservation Department and forest conservation rules and regulations. When I presented the project of Vavuniya Water Scheme as the Minister of Water Supply, one department after another came up with hurdles and did not give permission to start the water scheme. But somehow provisions were allocated, and it was managed to transport water through the forest and implement the project .Now water is brought through a pipe lines laid through the jungle.
There are forest areas that have been remained as forests for a long time and certain forests that have recently emerged. But there is a problem in the areas declared as forests. Especially in the Northern Province there were conflicts for some time. The trees that were planted in certain areas that were abandoned during those conflicts have become enormous trees today. In some maps published during that time, those areas have been declared as jungles.
This problem exists in Monaragala, Ampara and Trincomalee districts. But the farmers raise their cattle on those lands. These lands were used for traditionally farming .We will give the necessary powers to the Government Agent to hold a special discussion and ease this problem.
Earlier how much time did it take to go from Vavuniya to Jaffna? Now an express train is available to bridge the gap. In such a developed country, we should be ashamed of shortcomings of not being able to register a birth certificate. The Registrar General Department has started a new program to register birth certificates by using technology and digital methods.It is significant to provide solutions to such situations by conducting mobile services and providing copies of birth certificates and other documents through new technologies.
There are about five hundred villages in Vavuniya. These villages should be transformed into self-sufficient developed villages with human habitation .It should yield more harvest through cultivating paddy. I visited this area several times as a young student when my father was the Minister of Industries. At that time Mr C. Suntharalingam who was a special leader in Vavuniya has retired from politics. It is amaziing that grapes were grown in Sri Lanka at a time when everything was imported. Everything was grown in Mr. Suntharalingam’s garden. It was mentioned that Vavuniya, which has such a history, can be self-sufficient in terms of paddy cultivation and various crops. As the government we are obliged to give our strength and support to make it a success.
Vavuniya can be transformed into an export village through growing crops of commercial value to export or to become self-sufficient in terms of food. A systematic plan should be arranged and implemented for that .There are hundreds of Grama Niladhari Divisions under divisional secretaries. In terms of villages, there are more than five hundred villages. The only hope of people living in all these villages is to become self-sufficient, upgrade their lives and have a good future for their children.
The government is taking steps to provide technical assistance and machinery to improve all local government institutions and lead to rapid development. As the Minister of Local Government, I transformed Vavuniya Urban Council into a Municipal Council. It is a pride for Vavuniya. Vavuniya district has not got a municipal council so far. It can lead to new projects and the city of Vaviniya will be transformed into the municipal law. A few people said that the rural area should be exempted from this and given as a separate Grama Niladhari Division or Sub-Grama Niladhari Division. We pay special attention to that.
Special care is taken to make the service system between the urban environment and the rural environment successful.
Vavuniya needs drinking water projects and water saving projects. Vavuniya has many special foreign aid projects. The President held discussions to continue them. It is necessary to join more such projects under foreign aid.
Seeds are required for farming. It is necessary to refer to the high yielding types of seeds .I think that Vavuniya University will focus on producing such seeds. In order to recover from this economic crisis, we must move towards the goal of making the country self-sufficient in food. This year, it was possible to save the country without going into such a crisis. We decided to continue without changing the program to secure the lives of low income people. Accordingly, it will be possible to increase the benefits of “Samurdhi” as well as”Aswasuma”. As a government, we are obliged to support the low income community to maintain the standard of living during this economic crisis.
Graduates or those who have qualifications close to graduation are given teaching appointments in schools in their district and province by calling for applications. Teachers should be appointed to the subject in which there is a deficiency. Instead of giving appointments from Colombo, we will give appointments to new people from province to province district to district school to school. In this way, every school in Vavuniya district would become a school where children with hopes of development are raised.
The Grama Niladhari exam is conducted in the first week of December. Applications have been invited for about three thousand Grama Niladhari vacancies. Legally, all the applicants will have the opportunity to participate in the examination. We hope to finalize all those appointments within three months. In the remote areas where there are Grama Niladhari vacancies, can be filled after conducting the examination on the basis of special qualification.
TNA- Members of Parliament, Selwan Adeikalanadan, Charles Nirmalanadan, Vino Noharathalingam, EPDP- Members of Parliament, Kulasingham Dilibaran expressed their views.
Governor of the Northern Province P.S.M. Charles, State Ministers Kadar Mastan, Janaka Wakkumbura, Ashoka Priyantha, Members of Parliament Yadamini Gunawardena , Adviser of the President Dr. Suren Batagoda, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration ,Ranjith Ashoka, Secretary of the Northern Province S. M. Saman Bandulasena, District Secretary of Vavuniya, P. A Sarachchandra and other government officials,representatives of public organisations participated in this event.
Prime Minister’s Media