Sri Lanka President urges action on rural development, production-based economy

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (May 16) called on all District Coordinating Committee Chairpersons to take active steps to support rural development and strengthen Sri Lanka’s production-based economy.

The President made these remarks during a meeting held this morning at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. The meeting was attended by Chairpersons of District Coordinating Committees, senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, and several key government ministers.

President Dissanayake highlighted that the 2024 national budget had prioritized projects related to the production-based economy. However, he raised concerns about delays and inefficiencies in releasing district-level funds allocated for these projects.

He stressed that people in rural areas have suffered in recent years due to the lack of proper infrastructure. He emphasized that the funds provided in the 2024 budget must be used effectively and within the planned timeframe to improve rural communities.

The President also instructed the Chairpersons to focus on the specific development needs of each district during their development committee meetings. He advised them to involve the relevant subject ministers in these discussions to ensure better coordination and faster implementation of projects.

The meeting was attended by all District Coordinating Committee Chairpersons, their representatives, and senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, showing strong government support for revitalizing rural areas through targeted development and economic production.