The President issued this directive presiding over a progress review meeting of the ‘Pibidemu Polonnaruwa’ District Development Programme held at the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat on January 1. The Presidential Secretariat said the progress of the District Development Programme in 2018 and plans for 2019 were reviewed at this meeting.

The District Secretary said Rs 9,615 million was allocated for the programme in 2018 and they had achieved 100 percent success in utilising these funds.The progress achieved by poverty alleviation and anti-narcotics programmes were also reviewed at this meeting which paid attention towards resolving the human resources scarcity for the implementation of programmes.

Among other matters discussed were construction work on the new bus stand, garbage management and Polonnaruwa city development programmes.Since there had been a revival of agricultural activities in the district due to the current weather conditions, the President directed officials to implement special programmes to uplift agriculture in the district.

After reviewing the programmes of the tree planting programme, the President directed officials to launch a plant distribution programme among schoolchildren under a programme jointly organised by the Provincial Education office and the District Secretariat.

The President also distributed newly built trade stalls among eight traders engaged in business near the Polonnaruwa Pothgul Viharaya premises and chaired a discussion regarding district development programmes in Polonnaruwa. All MPs and Local Council members in the district had been summoned for the meeting without political differences.The President advised all local councillors to hand over new development proposals they envisioned to his Polonnaruwa office before January 10.He said he would prioritise such proposals after discussion and take action to implement them speedily.He
requested all members to assist in implementing those programmes without any political bias.