Govt’s next target: Development of North

Task Force Committee for Northern development, a prelude to NPC:

By Ananth PALAKIDNAR

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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.