(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that the opposition acted to defeat the Local Government budget because they have not served the people through the local governments under their control.
Participating in a function held in Maharagama Tuesday, the Prime Minister said the Opposition, having realized that the Urban Councils, Provincial Councils or Pradeshiya Sabhas they administer have not provided any development or service, has rejected the local governments under them and defeated the expenditure head of the Ministry of Internal and Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Local Government.
Mr. Wickremesinghe pointed out that although the people expected that the Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas which came to power at the last local government polls would develop their areas, today these institutions have failed to fulfill all those expectations.
The opening of the Homagama Urban Park, the laying of the foundation stone for the Technology City Center and the opening of the Maharagama multi-storied car park were held today under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Thereafter, a public meeting was held in front of the Maharagama Urban Council.
Addressing the public meeting, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the government at present, has spent around Rs. 60,000-70,000 million for urban development activities.
The Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development has taken steps to convert Colombo city to the main city in Indian Ocean in the 21st century. All Provincial Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas should work together with the Ministry, the Premier said.
“People will take measures against those local authorities if they don’t provide the service,” he said. “If the opposition reject their own institutions, then there is nothing we can do,” the Premier added.
Under the ‘Sukitha Purawara’ development project, 147 projects are being implemented in the Homagama city. The Megapolis and Western Development Ministry has spent Rs. 19 million to set up the Homagama Urban Park.
Meanwhile, the first stage of the construction of a new access road up to Mahenawatte was also commenced today at a cost of Rs. 713 million.
The Prime Minister also opened the four-storey car park built under the Maharagama Sukitha Purawara program at a cost of Rs. 131 million.
Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka and government officials were also present at the occasion.
