News
Deadline looms for unfinished projects worth Rs 12 billion
View(s):By Nathara Abeywickrema
District Secretaries have been set a July 31 deadline to finish all projects under the decentralised programme, prompting them to speed up work.
The government allocated Rs 12.15 billion in the 2024 budget through District Coordination Committees to resume the decentralised budget programme, which had been on hold for three years due to the economic crisis.
The Finance Ministry’s project management and monitoring department’s director general, N.S.M.P. Ranjith, said the progress report as a whole reveals 16,669 projects (52.02%) as procurement and 15,375 (47.98%) projects as construction related.
For development initiatives, Rs. 7,381.51 million (71.46%) and Rs. 2,947.35 million (28.54%) have been set aside.
According to him, 17,088 (53.33%) of the projects are in the procurement process, while 9,114 (28.44%) are still in the basic stages. Also, 4,136 (12.90%) projects are in various stages of completion, with 1,706 (5.33%) concluded so far. Their financial development is at Rs. 134.54 million, with bills totaling Rs. 190.66 million.
The development of rural roads has been designated as the primary goal by the 13 Divisional Secretariats within the Colombo District, according to a senior official in the Colombo District Secretariat.
The President’s Secretariat has approved 1,361 projects for the district, she said, and Rs. 1.08 billion has been made available. Of these, 559 projects are in the procurement stage, and 269 are in the initial stage.
Of the projects listed, 112 are under construction, 370 fall under the social services category, and 24 are in the procurement process.
According to Gampaha’s District Secretary, Lalinda Gamage, 1,311 projects have been approved by the President’s Secretariat for the district, and Rs. 895.6 million have been made available.
Of those, 422 are purchases of products, while 875 are construction projects. Rs. 559.68 million and Rs. 272.33 million have been allotted, respectively.
So far, 423 projects are in the initial stages, 736 are at the procurement stage, 41 include building, and 94 involve social work.
Mr. Gamage said there are initiatives including “Saubhagya,” which ensures social welfare, school development projects, construction work, and road development.
Since most officials have been involved in trade union actions over the past few months, the progress of most of the projects has been hampered.
“We collaborate with the Pradeshiya Sabhas on school improvement on a regular basis. Despite difficulties, efforts to improve agriculture, animal husbandry, and irrigation technology are underway,’’ Mr. Gamage noted.
For the Kalutara District, the President’s Secretariat has approved 655 projects, according to W.A.K.S. Damayanthi, director of planning at the Kalutara District Secretariat.
A total of Rs. 457 million has been allocated for approved projects. So far, 363 projects fall under the category of building and 280 under the category of goods purchases, with Rs. 260 million and Rs. 181.95 million set aside, respectively.
She said that 245 projects are still in the starting stage, 389 are in the purchase process, two are in the procurement stage, and seven construction projects have already been finished.
Ms. Damayanthi also said there is limited time and that it is difficult to complete projects requiring such a large financial investment because the majority of experts, including engineers and workers, were on strike for the past month.
However, she expressed optimism that the District Secretary would be able to complete the majority of projects by July 27, with the required agendas already created as the deadline draws near.
According to the Kandy District Secretariat’s Director (Planning), W.M.R.K.K. Wijesundara, 2,346 projects have been approved by the President’s Secretariat, and Rs. 689 million has been released.
Of them, 1,363 have been designated as building projects and 880 as goods purchases; of these, Rs. 590 million and Rs. 85 million have been set aside, respectively, for the aforementioned purposes.
Ms. Wijesundara said 1,246 projects are in the procurement stage, while 594 are still in their infancy. Also, 162 building projects have been finished, leaving 191 at the purchasing level, with tenders being called for the purchase of solar-powered equipment and smart boards for school classrooms.
Ms. Wijesundara said there are issues with wrapping up the remaining projects because most of the accountable officials, including the engineers, have been adhering to “work to rule” protocols for the previous few months. Additionally, she expressed optimism that the district secretary will finish 95% of the projects before the deadline.
| Rs 1.2bn handed to 19 opposition politiciansThe allocation of funds to districts has stirred a political controversy, as it has been alleged that certain opposition parliamentarians are among those who have obtained funds. Nineteen opposition Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayesekara raised concerns that the allocation of government funds to certain opposition members and their prioritisation were irrational. Samagi Jana Balawegaya Parliamentarian Dilip Wedaarachchi acknowledged receiving Rs. 48 million. He gave Rs. 200,000 each to the 153 candidates vying for Hambantota He said that the remaining money would be used to develop places of worship, saying he did not ask for his party’s approval. SJB Parliamentarian Ajith Mannapperuma refuted claims of misusing funds, saying allocations are spent on roads, dhamma schools, and schools. There has never been a requirement for MPs to seek party approval, he said. SJB legislator Gayantha Karunathilleka said MPs have the right to take a portion of funds intended for local development work.
| |
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!