President directs officials to fully utilize funds allocated for this year’s dev projects

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasized that state officials have a vital responsibility as the key intermediary mechanism in ensuring that the benefits of government development projects reach the people.

The President made these remarks while presiding over the Special District Coordination Committee (DCC) meeting held today (14) at the main auditorium of the Ratnapura District Secretariat, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said. 

During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the progress of development programmes implemented in the Ratnapura District in 2025 by various ministries, departments and state institutions, as well as the challenges encountered in their implementation.

The President instructed officials to fully utilize the financial allocations provided for this year’s development projects without returning them to the Treasury, stressing that failure to do so would not only hinder development but also result in wastage of funds. 

The President further noted that repeatedly allocating funds for the same incomplete projects prevents the initiation of new ones, the statement said. 

President Dissanayake also highlighted that in the past, government projects mainly focused on construction without proper feasibility studies or maintenance plans, which has imposed an unnecessary burden on the government. 

The President cited examples such as the Hambantota SAARC Cultural Centre and the Anuradhapura Auditorium, which have become difficult to maintain due to the absence of responsible managing institutions. Similarly, he pointed out that many government-built facilities such as tourist bungalows, inns and public markets remain unused and neglected, emphasizing that private sector management would be a more practical approach.

Flood and landslide risks in the Ratnapura District were also discussed. The National Building Research Organization reported that around 15,000 families live in vulnerable areas, including 2,763 families in high-risk zones.

Although a “Dry Dam” project using two tributaries of the Kalu Ganga has been proposed to mitigate flooding in Ratnapura, Irrigation Department officials noted that no feasibility study has been conducted since 2014.

In response, the President agreed to allocate funds from the upcoming budget to conduct a new feasibility study for a suitable flood prevention project in the district. 

Further discussions focused on social concerns such as child protection, where police officials explained that a monitoring system has been established in collaboration with Divisional Secretariats to identify and support vulnerable children.

The President also inquired about the measures taken to control the drug menace in the Ratnapura District. The police pointed out that by conducting daily operations, they have been able to achieve a certain level of control over the situation.

Matters related to the mining industry and the proposed establishment of a trading centre that includes a laboratory for gemstone value addition was also reviewed. The President directed attention to the need to make productive use of underutilized, commercially valuable land owned by the Urban Development Authority near Ratnapura city. 

The meeting was attended by Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Pradeep Sundaralingam, Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province Champa Janaki Rajaratne, Chairman of the Ratnapura District Coordination Committee and MP S. Shantha Padmakumara, other Members of Parliament, Ratnapura Mayor K.A.D.R. Indrajith Katugampala, Chief Secretary of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council E.K.A. Suneetha, Ratnapura District Secretary K.G.S. Nishantha and other government officials.

--PMD