New legislation to increase powers of district secretaries

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Cabinet has approved new legislation that will increase the power of District Secretaries by making them Additional Secretaries to relevant ministries so that implementation of development projects will be smoother.

On the proposal made by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne, Cabinet approval was granted to increase the powers of District Secretaries (DS) enabling the strengthening district administration to suit the necessity of the Government development programmes.

All relevant regulations and administrative practices will be revised for taking actions by respective ministries to appoint District Secretaries as Additional Secretaries of their ministries, vesting powers of the secretaries in them and further for allowing the DS to use the designation as Government Agent concurrently.

Accordingly, Vesting of Powers (to Divisional Secretaries) Act No 58 of 1992 (Special Provisions) Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman will be presented in Parliament for approval. “This is not done with the intent of reducing anyone’s power,” Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told media insisting that it would not result in any complications within the public service.