President assures action against underworld criminal activities

Winning hearts!

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday assured the people in the North that the government would not let underworld groups raise their heads in the South or North of the country.

Addressing the Thai Pongal National Ceremony at the Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna, President Rajapaksa vowed that there will not be any terrorism in the country.

The President’s comments come in the wake of reports of concerns being raised over the security situation in the North following an increase in the crime rate in the area.

President Rajapaksa also said that the era of segregation based on petty politics must be ended and there will be no room for religious, ethnic, or social differences.

Speaking of the development projects being carried out in the North, the President noted that most development projects in the area have been initiated with foreign loans and the government is paying interest on such loans.

Rajapaksa said that through Uthuru Wasanthaya, he hoped to provide relief to the people in the North and to reconstruct the area. The rehabilitated LTTE cadres will be deployed for the future development of the country, he said.

The President also handed over tractors to farmers and laptop computers to school children at the ceremony.

President says Govt. committed to achieve equity in development

We are committed in developing the Northern areas and achieving equity in development, stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa vesting the Sangupitty Bridge with the public on Sunday.

“This bridge is another development initiative under the Northern development programme. You are experiencing development which has not been seen in these areas for a long time”, stated the President speaking in Tamil. He added, “the bridge is a dream come true for the people of the North”.  The government plans to provide all services to the Northern people such as education, health, housing, electricity, road network apart from bridges,