The third meeting of the Cabinet Subcommittee appointed to oversee the development of 25 Technical and Vocational Colleges under the Department of Technical Education and Training was held today (09) at the Parliament Complex under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

The meeting focused on the proposed development programme for the 25 Technical and Vocational Colleges as a key step towards expanding access to vocational education, implementing plans to strengthen infrastructure, and creating new pathways for technical and vocational education in Sri Lanka. Members held detailed discussions on the measures required to advance these objectives.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Ports, Civil Aviation and Energy, Anura Karunathilaka,the Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Planning, Dr. Anil Jayantha, the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, Dr. Upali Pannilage, as well as senior officials from the Ministries of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the Government plans to allocate a separate contingency fund for every district under the forthcoming Budget, enabling District Secretaries to carry out urgent repairs to bridges, roads and public buildings identified at District Coordination Committee meetings without having to wait for approval from the Central Government.

The President also emphasised that the Government’s foremost priority is to address the basic needs of the people without delay.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks while attending the District Secretaries’ Conference held this morning (09) at the Colombo District Secretariat.

The conference was convened with the objective of strengthening coordination among relevant stakeholders to ensure the more efficient and effective delivery of public services, while promoting district-level economic development by discussing local issues and identifying appropriate solutions.

The discussions also focused on reviewing the progress of district development projects, enhancing coordination between ministries and government institutions, identifying issues at the district level, proposing practical solutions, and assigning responsibilities and follow-up actions.

It was further emphasised that, in the interest of public safety, Divisional Secretaries should prevent people from resettling in areas identified as high-risk and refrain from approving basic utility services, including electricity and water, for such locations.

The President also reviewed the progress of efforts to establish a special authority with statutory powers to manage environmentally sensitive land in the Central Hills. It was noted that the relevant draft legislation has already been prepared and that the new authority is expected to commence operations next year.

The President further stressed that resolving the housing issues faced by war-displaced communities remains a Government priority, adding that plans are in place to resettle 13,000 war-displaced families during the coming year.

He also highlighted the need to systematically implement a programme to relocate people living in areas that are repeatedly affected by floods and landslides to safe and secure housing.

The President also drew attention to housing projects that had been initiated in an unplanned manner for various reasons, including political considerations, and subsequently abandoned midway. He stated that the Government intends to conduct a rapid survey to identify only those projects that are genuinely required by the public and implement a housing assistance programme to provide financial support for the completion of those houses.

The President further emphasised the importance of carrying out housing and other construction projects in accordance with a proper planning framework. He pointed out that numerous issues had arisen as a result of unplanned construction in the Southern Province and stressed that development in the Northern and Eastern Provinces should be undertaken in line with a systematic development plan.

He also noted that, while taking public needs into consideration, the Government is focusing on releasing privately owned land currently under the control of military camps. At the same time, attention is being given to making other large tracts of land available for investment. The President further stressed that, when allocating land for cultivation, measures must be taken to safeguard forest reserves and wildlife protection zones.

Reiterating the need for comprehensive public sector reforms to deliver a high-quality public service, the President stated that plans are in place to abolish non-productive institutions in order to improve the efficiency of the public service.

He further noted that steps have already been taken to fill vacancies in essential sectors, including health and education. The President also pointed out that measures are being taken to urgently fill vacancies in the Department of the Government Analyst in order to address delays in the issuance of Government Analyst reports, which have contributed to prison overcrowding.

Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Professor Chandana Abeyratne, Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government Ruwan Senarath, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Aloka Bandara, Ministry Secretaries, all District Secretaries, Heads of Departments and other senior government officials were also present.

[PMD]

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that the Government’s objective is to go beyond mere reforms and elevate Sri Lanka’s healthcare service to internationally recognised standards of quality, adding that the Government is prepared to allocate the necessary funding to achieve this goal.

The President made these remarks while participating in the pre-Budget discussion on the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, held on Wednesday (08)  afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting reviewed the progress of projects implemented under the 2026 Budget allocations and discussed proposals for the 2027 Budget.

Progress of the programme to establish ‘Arogya Suwa Seva Centres’ to strengthen primary healthcare was reviewed during the discussion, and the President instructed officials to place greater emphasis on further strengthening primary healthcare services.

The meeting also reviewed, sector by sector, the progress of projects implemented under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media using 2026 Budget allocations, while funding requirements for 2027 were also discussed.

The President further instructed officials to submit, without delay, scientifically based strategic proposals aimed at improving the quality of Sri Lanka’s healthcare service.

Special attention was also paid to the technological transformation required within the hospital system. The President pointed out that establishing advanced technological facilities accessible to people across the country would significantly enhance the quality of healthcare services.

He noted that this would enable the State hospital system to provide efficient and standardised healthcare services while reducing the high costs incurred by the public when seeking treatment from the private sector.

Discussions also focused on strengthening the Suwa Seriya ambulance service and ensuring that hospitals procure only internationally compliant, fully equipped high-technology ambulances instead of conventional vans.

It was revealed that the current Government has recommenced 26 large-scale healthcare construction projects that had been suspended midway due to the previous governments halting capital expenditure. These include the five-storey building complex at the Monaragala District Hospital and Emergency Treatment Units at the Trincomalee, Ampara and Chilaw hospitals. In total, work is now under way on 48 healthcare construction projects.

The meeting also discussed technological solutions to address issues related to pharmaceutical procurement to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicines to hospitals, expanding the Ministry of Health’s facilities for testing the quality of medicines, and programmes implemented with the support of organisations such as UNDP and UNICEF.

Progress on digital healthcare initiatives was also reviewed, including the Patient Health App, telemedicine services and the establishment of a National Electronic Health Record system, enabling patients’ medical records to be accessed from any hospital.

It was also decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the healthcare workforce, address issues faced by newly appointed doctors during the review process, and discuss recruitment-related issues concerning healthcare personnel with the Ministry of Finance.

The meeting further reviewed progress in providing physical resources to the Government Film Unit, journalist training programmes and the establishment of school media societies. Attention was also given to a proposal to establish a dedicated media operations centre to facilitate the exchange of information between the Government and all journalists.

The President also stressed the need to modernise the Department of Posts and the Government Printing Department by moving away from outdated systems and adopting modern technology.

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Deputy Minister of Health Dr Hansaka Wijemuni, Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Energy and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russell Aponsu, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Specialist Dr Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services Dr Asela Gunawardena, and officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health and Mass Media attended the discussion.

[PMD]