SLPP vows village development following victory at local government polls

(Xinhua): The Sri Lanka People’s Front – also known as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) – which won a local government election held in the island country earlier this month, said it would start a mega development drive in local villages to gain economic stability.

Front liner and member of the SLPP, Basil Rajapakse told Xinhua that his party would request the central government to form a team which could approach for international investments to develop the villages.

Rajapakse said that during the previous regime, measures were taken to develop infrastructure and roads in local villages across the country.

“So now our priority is to ensure that all this is maintained and we will work on achieving further development for the benefit of the local villager. If villages are developed, the government will benefit and we can reach out for further investments from international investors. We will have talks with the central government,” Rajapakse said.

Some of the key projects which the SLPP hopes to implement in the local level is to set up a renewable energy plant and water facilities for the local farmer and villager.

“Currently there are many people in the villages who do not have clean water and due to this, they suffer from chronic kidney diseases. We will work towards this,” he added.

The SLPP, which is backed by former President Mahinda Rajapakse, won 239 local councils out of 340 in the 10 Feb local government elections. The ruling United National Party, led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe won 41 while the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, led by President Maithripala Sirisena, won 10.