Both ruling and opposition parties are responsible for public welfare: President

Monday, 28 July 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the country’s development is not one political party’s responsibility but is the responsibility of both the ruling and opposition parties to uplift the welfare of the public and develop the country. Addressing the progress review meeting in the Anuradhapura District held at the North Central Provincial Council Auditorium on Saturday, the President said all should be united to develop the country disregarding party politics. Representatives of the Opposition were also present at the meeting and the President addressed them as well. Discussing the development in the district, the President focused special attention on renovating irrigation tanks in the district and instructed officials to accelerate those projects as the Government has already allocated the required funds. The meeting also focused its attention on finding a solution to the chronic kidney disease that is prevailing among the farming community in the district.

The President added that a massive program to provide pure drinking water to each and every household in the North Central Province has already been started. President Rajapaksa instructed the officials to take measures to immediately halt the illegal constructions carried out on river bunds and to formulate a program to grant alternate lands to the squatters. The President also instructed the officials to provide concessions to traditional chena cultivators. The meeting also discussed health and road development activities in the Anuradhapura District. Following the district meeting, the President launched a national program to present 100,000 motorcycles for field officials in the state service. Initiating the program in the Anuradhapura District to present motor cycles to 1,500 field officials of the state sector in the district, the President symbolically handed over keys to the motorcycles to 10 officials. The motorcycles have been provided to Grama Seva, family health, Samurdhi, agricultural research, District Secretariat and Divisional Secretariat officials with the aim to provide a qualitative and efficient service to the public through state service. The funds for the program have been allocated in the 2014 budget.