President chairs meeting on development activities in Jaffna

President Maithripala Sirisena presided over a discussion on the progress of the development programmes in the Northern Province at the District Secretariat in Jaffna yesterday, Presidential Secretariat said. The discussion was focused on the development plans for the Northern Province.

He inquired about the plans formulated to utilize allocated money for the development activities in 2017 and noted that the political representatives and officials have the responsibility to spend those grants for the betterment of the people through proper development plans.

President Sirisena directed to the officials to provide essential facilities including roads, health, education and drinking water to the people speedily. The meeting also discussed about the process of resettlement.

When a political representative pointed out that there is a problem to get sand for construction work, the President said he will direct to the officials to present recommendations to take sand and pebble from some places, avoiding any damage to the environment.

The President said that he will give instructions to the officials to appoint a Committee comprising of an Additional Secretary to the President, officials from the Environment Authority, Forest Department and Department of Wildlife Conservation, in this regard.

The Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V. Vigneswaran, Governor Reginald Cooray, Ministers Rajitha Senarathne, D.M. Swaminathan, Duminda Disanayake, MPs, public servants, including the Jaffna District Secretary participated on this occasion.

After this meeting the President held a discussion with the parents of the missing persons at the Northern Governor’s Office in Jaffna. A group of parents of missing persons representing all the eight districts of the North and Eastern Provinces handed over a letter to the President regarding their missing children.