10,000 land deeds to be handed to Mahaweli settlers today

President Maithripala Sirisena will hand over 10,000 title deeds for land to the Mahaweli farming community in the Kotmale and Victoria Mahaweli zones at the Central Province Stadium in Digana today. 

This is under the national program to distribute 100,000 deeds to Mahaweli farmers in several phases. 

The presentation of title deeds to farming communities in the Walawa and Mahaweli ‘H’ zones under the national program to offer 10,000 title deeds to Mahaweli settlers was held two weeks ago under the President’s patronage.

Speaking at a ceremony to hand over 5,000 lands deeds to farmers in the Walawe Zone at the Gam Udava Playground in Embilipitiya last week, the President said: “The current Government always makes policy decisions for the betterment of the people.” 

He added that the Government expected to implement a new program in the agricultural sector to strengthen the economy of farmers as well as the national economy by increasing the foreign market for local vegetables and fruits. 

He said the Government has planned a program to attract the younger generation to agriculture by modernising the agricultural sector. 

Commenting on ensuring people’s rights to own land, the President said Government officers have a responsibility to do this work without any delay, irrespective of politics or political parties. He recalled that major historical conflicts were based on the right to lands. He said the Government was performing to fulfill its responsibility of providing all Sri Lankans with the right to own land. 

Addressing the gathering after symbolically handing over 5,000 deeds to residents of Mahaweli colonies under the national program to hand over 100,000 land deeds to the landless, the President stated that he would inspect the development work of the Mahaweli farmlands separately. He said he would make observational visits to those areas from January next year.

Attention was also drawn to expediting the development work within the Weli Oya area of Mahaweli Zone B and beginning the resettlement process of the farming community within the Mahaweli Zone D at the Bisopura new development zone in Medirigiriya.

The President pointed out that officials should be more committed to achieving the targets while executing their duties efficiently and skilfully with regards to the Mahaweli zones, environment and forest conservation. The Plantation Industry Ministry, Estate Infrastructure and Livestock Ministry and Agriculture Irrigation, Mahaweli and Rajarata Development Ministry are the other ministries working with the Agriculture Development Ministry and lands have been arranged for residents and plantation purposes.  The Department of the Land Commissioner had already identified around 60,000 plots of lands from all over the island and 20,920 plots only from the Mahaweli zones. 

The President looked into the progress of the drug prevention and kidney disease prevention programs held in the Mahaweli area.