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Friday Nov 15, 2024
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President Gotabaya Rajapaksa speaks to group of students from Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya in Vavuniya. Northern Province Governor P.S.M. Charles is also present
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Saturday held his popular ‘Discussion with the Village’ program in Vavuniya, Northern Province, listening to the grievances of people solutions for some of which were immediately provided and assuring early resolution for others.
Listening to the grievances expressed by the people with regard to the shortage of water in the area, the President instructed the officials to take steps to resolve the issue which has been inconveniencing the people for decades in the Vavuniya District, within a year.
A statement from the President’s Media said 92% of the population in the district suffer from the shortage of clean drinking water. It said the water project will be implemented as an accelerated project at a cost of Rs. 60 billion. It was decided to restore all tube wells in the area and to implement a number of community water projects as immediate solutions.
The people pointed out that the shortage of teachers, buildings and desks in the schools in the district was a major problem that needed to be resolved soon. The President instructed the Ministry of Education to acquire information and statistics in this regard and allocate funds as required.
It was 17th ‘Discussion with the Village’ program held at the Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya premises in the Vedivaithyakallu Grama Niladhari Division of the Vavuniya North Divisional Secretariat Division in the Vavuniya District.
Vedivaithyakallu Grama Niladhari Division is located about 38 km east and south of Vavuniya town bordering Padaviya and Kebithigollewa Divisional Secretariats and Nandimithra village in the west of the Anuradhapura district. Bogaswewa 1, Bogaswewa 2, Kambiliwewa, Wediwaithyakallu, Kovilpuliyankulama and Veheratenna villages belong to the Grama Niladhari Division. The village has a total population of 1,520, comprising 478 families. Paddy and Chena farming are the main livelihood of the people.
President Rajapaksa arrived at Bogaswewa and from there, he made it to Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya to attend the ‘Discussion with the Village’ program. President Rajapaksa conversed with the people gathered on both sides of the road and inquired into the problems that ail them.
The President presented the two laptops donated by SLT Mobitel to Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya and Nedunkerni Maha Vidyalaya and the TV and the connection donated by Dialog Axiata to the principals.
Another objective of President Rajapaksa is to develop school library facilities in all areas where the ‘Discussion with the Village’ program is held. The President presented sets of books to schools under the program ‘A generation empowered with knowledge’. Each school receives 500 books covering a number of subjects to assist students in their further education.
A program to grant title deeds to the families who had been in possession of government lands without clear ownership started recently. President Rajapaksa symbolically presented title deeds for five families in Vavuniya North Divisional Secretariat Division during the discussion.
In addition, the President awarded three scholarships to study courses conducted by the Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka as well.
The Road Development Authority has been entrusted with the development of 37 km of by-roads in Bogaswewa and surrounding villages and two main bridges in the area.
The President advised to renovate 16 tanks in Bogaswewa village and 17 tanks including the Kivul Oya project.
The President said that temples in the area should be renovated preserving the archaeological heritage for future generations.
It was decided to build electric fences to protect the villages that are threatened by wild elephant intrusions.
The need to develop the Bogaswewa Primary Health Centre for inpatient treatment was emphasised.
President Rajapaksa directed the officials to address the shortage of doctors, nurses and other staff members in the hospitals in the area and to meet the infrastructure and other requirements as well.
It was discussed in length on resolving the long standing land ownership disputes and facilitating the villagers to engage in agriculture activities.
Governor of the Northern Province P.S.M. Charles, Vavuniya District Parliamentarians K. Kader Masthan, Kulasingam Thileepan, people’s representatives of the district, Principal Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga, secretaries to ministries, heads of government institutions and the security forces participated in the ‘Discussion with the Village’ program at Bogaswewa Maha Vidyalaya premises.
The ‘Discussion with the Village’ program began in September last year from the Badulla District. Thereafter programs were organised covering Matale, Ratnapura, Anuradhapura, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, Kalutara, Monaragala, Kegalle, Kandy, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Kurunegala, Galle, Nuwara Eliya and Matara districts.
The idea behind this program is for the President to talk to the rural communities living in remote and difficult areas without intermediaries about their long-standing unresolved problems and to present them directly to the officials in order to find solutions.
Problems that can be solved on the spot are instantly addressed. The rest which takes time to deal with are noted down to find solutions for later. The objective of the program is to reach out to the people of the village, understand their problems and find solutions giving considerations to their own suggestions.
