President Maithripala Sirisena said he will take necessary actions to provide land deeds to all the Mahaweli settlers by the end of this year.
He made these remarks at the ‘Randiyawara’ presentation of 12,083 land deeds to Mahaweli settlers of Mahaweli ‘B’ and ‘C’ Rambakan Oya systems, at Aralaganwila Maguldamana Maha Vidyalaya last Friday (1).
The land titles were presented to farmers in terms of the President’s vision to launch a national programme to present one million land deeds island-wide.
This programme is conducted under the special instructions given by President Maithripala Sirisena in 2016 to provide a solution to the long-standing problem faced by Mahaweli settlers. Under this programme, 100,000 land deeds have already been presented to the Mahaweli settlers. Another 40,000 deeds, grant titles, and lease certificates will be presented in 2018.
According to the Land Commissioner General’s Department, one million deeds and permits have been given to Mahaweli B, C and H systems in 2017, under this project. Under this programme, 12,573 government entities including schools, hospitals and police stations that have hitherto operated without a proper deed have also received land titles.
During the programme, deeds of ownership were granted to people in Mahaweli B (6,104) and C (4,312) and Rambakan Oya (1,595) systems. Further, 22 temples were granted land, while 50 government institutions also received titles, totaling 12,083 land deeds.
While addressing the gathering, the President mentioned that the Mahaweli development project was a mammoth multipurpose development project that covered many sectors including electricity and agriculture.
The President expressed his pleasure that the Moragahakanda reservoir could be constructed to complete the Mahaweli scheme’s large tanks. This project will help relieve the grievance of farmers and strengthen the economy of the country.
The President also expressed his confidence that the farming community will greatly benefit from the largest of its kind initiative since Independence to restore 2,400 agricultural tanks simultaneously, launched last year.
“The project has suffered due to lack of numbers of sufficient engineers and technical officers. Special remedial measures are being taken right now,” he said.
President Sirisena also mentioned that he has been receiving positive responses to requests he has made to the international community to develop the agricultural sector, adding further that, as in the past days of glory, we should trod a path of agro-based development.
President Sirisena spoke about the Gramashakthi People’s Movement which is conducted island-wide with the assistance of the Presidential Secretariat in order to uplift the livelihoods of people suffering from poverty. He emphasised that among all poverty alleviation programmes, Gramashakthi is one of the most successful and that everyone should get together to contribute to its success without any political dispute.
He said that many progressive outcomes have been achieved during the last three and half years, though some of those can be intangible to some.
“Despite criticisms or political instability that some media stations try to depict, a prosperous future is guaranteed to the people.”
The President opened the two-storey building constructed under the ‘Pibidemu Polonnaruwa’ project at Aranaganwila Maguldamana Maha Vidyalaya before the presentation of deeds. Acknowledging the best farming families of Mahaweli B and C and Rambakan Oya systems, the President presented special gifts to them.
Minister Daya Gamage, Mahaweli Development State Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake, Provincial Councils, Local Government and Sports State Minister Sriyani Wijewickrama, State Minister Anoma Gamage, North Central Province Governor Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, and other officials and ministers and state ministers as well as Secretary of the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Anura Dissanayake, and Mahaweli Authority Director General Sarath Chandrasiri Vithana and others were also present.
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