Divisional Secretaries empowered to direct school leavers to information technology and vocational training...
The Prime Minister mentioned this today (12.03.2024) at the occasion of opening of the new building of Mundalam Divisional Secretariat, Puttalam.
The Prime Minister at the occasion commented as follows-
The Divisional Secretariat should be the centre for the service to be rendered by the government and government departments to address the problems of the people.
You are performing an important part of the development process that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has newly announced. It is the responsibility of the Divisional Secretaries to take those plans to the village with our governors for divisional development and district development.
This matter should be at the fingertips of the Divisional Secretaries. Should not be referred to book again. This office should perform the service with renewed energy in such a condition from tomorrow. Hopes of all Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims should be fulfilled. There are two groups of people in this society as with a good income and poor income. Everyone’s expectations should be fulfilled. Those who have income should take measures to improve their income and uplift the poor income groups. The private sector should be developed according to the programme of the budget document published by the government. Resources should be increased. If the resources are to be increased like this, the support should be extended for more investments.
You have previously reminded everyone of the situation in the country when the President assumed office and took over the government. We hope you haven’t forget that. We do not wish for such a situation again. In order not to bring the country to such a situation again, we have provided rapid relief for the most difficult services and facilities as well as essential materials and facilities that had to be faced in that period.
The problems are not yet over. The economy should move to a new effort that can solve the problems. That journey cannot be made by the head of state, the parliament or the Prime Minister alone. It is a step that the entire country should take together.
To revive the country, the economy should be developed with new hopes. Foreign investments and local businessmen should also join in and engage in new efforts. The Divisional Secretary should support that task.
We were able to increase the income in such a way that we could increase some allowances for government employees. There are six hundred thousand pensioners in Sri Lanka. Today, the country has been brought to be able to strengthen and provide their retirement. There was a deficit of 18 billion for the pension amount. We paid for it all. The fund is now working strong with no deficit.
There is a responsibility and obligation to discharge your duty. It is for the public. I believe that this Divisional Secretariat will be active for achieving it.
We discussed with the President yesterday and took a decision to Increase number of allowances to Deputy Officers in each Divisional Secretariat, and District Secretariat. It was decided to meet development goals. Accordingly, new allowances may be added to officials to meet the development goals. It is necessary to create effective products and services by working towards the goals of the District Secretaries and, Divisional Secretaries.
A new Grama Niladhari should be appointed before the end of next month for the vacancies in each Grama Niladhari division. If there is a deficiency, we can strengthen the network of Dovisional Secretaries by filling it.
A special power was granted to equip school leavers with IT and professional skills. It can be government departments, or local authorities everyone can involve in this programme. Get the necessary financial facilities and professionals with the necessary knowledge to meet the goals of imparting special knowledge to our children. I think that in the next two months, the Divisional Secretaries will support another path of education that leads to the possibility of entering a new society, a society with new knowledge.
Governor of the North Western Province Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Ministers Ashoka Priyantha, Arundika Fernando, Puttalam District Development Committee Chairman Chinthaka Amal Mayadunna, Parliamentarians Yadamini Gunawardena, Jagath Priyankara, and Ali Sabri Raheem, Pradeep Yasarathne, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration and other government officials attended the event.
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