President Mahinda Rajapaksa has re-allocated functions of two key ministries, giving them new responsibilities.
Main among them is the Ministry of Economic Development which is under Basil Rajapaksa. It has been given the added responsibility of Foreign Direct Investment development, Development of infrastructure facilities for the rural and plantation sectors and Investment Development in the private sector. The Rural Development Training and Research Institute has also been brought under his Ministry. These are in addition to the responsibilities already vested.
A Gazette notification issued on September 13 lists 14 ministries where there has been re-allocation of functions.
The Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities which is held by Wimal Weerawansa has also been given new functions.
The Urban Settlement and Development Authority, which came under the purview of the Ministry of Defence, has now been placed under this Ministry. A new function listed for the Ministry is “to work for the upliftment of living standards in Urban Settlements and to prepare and implement plans, programmes and projects which have been prepared, taking into consideration the proposals, if any, submitted by persons living in urban settlements”. The Urban Settlement Development Authority Act No 46 of 2008 has also been brought under this Ministry.
It was only in May, this year, that President Rajapaksa vested the Urban Settlement and Development Authority in the Ministry of Defence. The reasons for the shift are not immediately clear. However, Government sources said yesterday that a proposal to set up a separate Authority to develop the City of Colombo was now under consideration.
The financial administration of state corporations, statutory bodies and government owned companies has been brought under the Ministry of Finance and Planning. |
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