Everyone should be served equally President tells in North

Tuesday, 19 October 2010 23:42 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said that public finances must be used effectively in the development of the Northern region and that all benefits should accrue to the people without letting the finances go waste.

He made these observations during his visit to the North to review the progress of the development in the Northern Province.

This is the first time that a President of this country is attending a progress review meeting on the development activities in the Northern Province. The meeting was attended by Ministers, Parliamentarians, members of local government institutions of the Northern Province and government officials serving in the Province.

All development activities already underway and future work in Vavuniya, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Jaffna and other parts of the Northern Province were taken up for discussion with the Northern Province Development Committee at the Wanni Security Forces Centre auditorium. Rajapaksa told the area authorities that the focus should be on improving infrastructure, education and health facilities.

“It is the responsibility of the government to provide an environment conducive to a better quality of life for the people in the North,” the President said. Serving the people is equal to the service rendered to God, Rajapaksa stressed adding that the people should not be turned back but served with dedication.

He asserted that the country today has only one government and in this respect, all should be served equally irrespective of who they are.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda praised the President for visiting the North to review the progress of the development projects in the Province, and said that the people in the North always acknowledge the efforts being taken by the President to develop the Province after liberating them from the clutches of Tiger terrorists.

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen speaking on the occasion observed that infrastructure and livelihood development was currently ongoing.

Governor of Northern Province Major General G.A. Chandrasiri described the meeting as immensely important as it would provide the opportunity for the President to focus his special attention on developing the Northern Province.

The governor said the resettlement process had reached its final stage and the construction of the railway line linking the North and South is progressing successfully.