President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that his primary focus is on providing “rights” to the people of the country. He made this statement during a ceremony held yestersday (22) at the Batticaloa District Secretariat, where Urumaya freehold land deeds were awarded to 192 families across 14 divisional secretariat divisions in the Batticaloa district, as part of the government’s initiative to distribute 2 million freehold land deeds.

Under the Urumaya program, 27,595 landless families in Batticaloa district are to receive freehold deeds, with 2,610 already granted. Additionally, 252 English diploma holders from the Higher National Engineering Diploma Institute received teacher appointments today, presided over by the President.

President Wickremesinghe participated in the symbolic handover of Urumaya land deeds and teacher appointments. He also inaugurated the new district secretariat building in Thiraimadu, Batticaloa, constructed at a cost of Rs. 1,055 million. The building project, initiated by then Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and the former Minister of Home Affairs Wajira Abeywardena on September 11, 2016, aims to enhance service efficiency for the people of the Batticaloa district.

The President unveiled the plaque, opened the District Secretariat, and conducted an observation tour of the new facilities.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further stated the following during his address at the Urumaya land deeds awarding ceremony:

“We have decided to develop Trincomalee as a major economic hub. During the recent visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister to Sri Lanka, we had extensive discussions on securing India’s support for this endeavour.

Under the Agriculture Modernization Program, we plan to launch a large agricultural business in these areas. Additionally, a project to develop undeveloped Mahaweli land in Batticaloa and Trincomalee will commence soon.

We also have plans to enhance tourism from Verugal to Arugam Bay. The Batticaloa Fort is set to be developed for tourism by the Department of Archaeology, and a quality hotel will be established in this province. Dairy farming improvements are also on the agenda.
Following the passage of the Economic Transformation Act this year, significant efforts will be directed towards implementing projects here, enabling Trincomalee to become a major export economy.

With both Eastern and Southeastern Universities located here, we aim to further develop education in this region. The reform of the vocational education sector will provide more vocational training opportunities for our youth.

Due to a recruitment freeze over the past three to four years, honorary appointments were made today to enhance school education. Unemployment remains a significant issue in our country. Therefore, we must create jobs for the youth through a new development process. We have endured a very challenging period, and the common people of this country have suffered greatly. As we rebuild, we will never forget these people.

The Urumaya program was implemented to provide free land rights to the people. You now have legal title to your land, which no one can take from you. We have also initiated a relief program for low-income individuals and have distributed over 27,000 free land deeds in this area. A new system will send government officials directly to villages to distribute these land deeds efficiently, eliminating the need for people to travel to the District or Divisional Secretariat. District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries, Land Officers, Councilors, and the Governor will visit villages to hand over the land deeds. I have instructed this program to start on the coming Monday and to complete it promptly.

My sole objective is to ensure that land rights are given to the people. I urge everyone to protect their land ownership.”

Governor of the Eastern Province Senthil Thondaman:

“It is a great honour to welcome the Honourable President today. This project, initiated by him, began with an allocation of approximately one billion rupees provided by Minister Wajira Abeywardena. It is noteworthy that Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who launched the project during his tenure as Prime Minister, is here today as President to inaugurate it.

The President has consistently advised us to commit to the agricultural modernization program to boost the country’s production. We are coordinating with the Department of Agriculture to implement this program in the Batticaloa district, which is an agricultural hub with a large number of farmers.
The President has also highlighted the potential for aquaculture development, given that the Eastern Province boasts the longest coastline in the country. We are actively promoting local farmers and businesses to engage in aquaculture projects. Additionally, with large deposits of mineral sand in the region, the President has instructed us to add value to this resource and advance the mineral sector.

We are diligently working to develop all these projects under the guidance of the Honourable President.”

Batticaloa District Coordination Committee Co-Chairman A. L. M. Ataullah:

“President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit today, to inaugurate the new district secretariat building, distribute freehold land deeds, and appoint teachers for the people of Batticaloa, is a historic event.

Currently, there is much discussion about the upcoming elections and questions about potential candidates. Political leaders are visiting Jaffna, making various promises to the Tamil people. It is essential to provide some relief to the Tamil community, and we are proud that this consensus has been reached, thanks to your efforts.

The war caused significant losses, and it is our responsibility to foster an environment of cooperation to prevent such conflicts in the future. The people of this country aspire to build a nation where Sinhalese, Muslims, and Tamils can live together harmoniously. Empowering the people is crucial for strengthening the country’s economy.”

State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan:

“When the country faced a severe economic crisis, President Ranil Wickremesinghe took charge and implemented numerous new economic policies. It is essential for the people to be committed to advancing these policies.

We all share the responsibility of rescuing our country from the economic crisis and providing hope for the youth. We must choose whether to continue borrowing as a bankrupt nation or to manage our debt and build a strong economy. Today, we are progressing with a focus on long-term vision and economic sustainability. It is our duty to maintain this trajectory, which is why we are dedicated to supporting the President.”

State Minister S. Viyalanderan,

“When our country’s economy collapsed, no one was willing to take the lead. Even with money in hand, people had to stand in queues for days to buy essentials, and there was no clear plan for recovery.

However, President Ranil Wickremesinghe courageously took charge because he had the right program to move the country forward economically. While many criticize the darkness, it takes a true leader to dispel it and bring in the light. This is why the President stepped in. Today, the country is developing thanks to the effective economic program implemented under his leadership.”

The event was attended by Presidential Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman, other regional political representatives, Batticaloa District Secretary J. Muralidaran, Eastern Provincial Education Secretary H.E.M.W.G. Dissanayake, and a group of government officials.