“The affected people should not have to come to us repeatedly for their needs. Instead, we must go to them and provide the necessary services. Even when they visit government offices seeking assistance, they should only need to come once. It is our responsibility to ensure that their needs are fully addressed without causing them further inconvenience or repeated hardship,” said the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
The Hon. Governor made these remarks while officially inaugurating the Social Care Centre established in the Oddusuddan Divisional Secretariat Division of Mullaitivu District on Wednesday (13 May 2026). The opening ceremony was also attended by the Australian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Matthew Duckworth, as the special guest. The dignitaries were ceremonially welcomed with a band procession, following which the new centre was formally declared open.
This new Social Care Centre has been established to transform the difficult situation in which children, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and individuals with special needs were previously required to visit multiple government offices and service counters to obtain assistance. Through this initiative, affected individuals will now be able to conveniently access nearly 60 different services provided by various institutions under one roof.
These services have been integrated across multiple government departments with a strong focus on the needs of the people. The new system eliminates the burden on affected individuals of having to repeatedly explain their circumstances to different officials, while ensuring that their needs are documented with greater sensitivity and care. Instead of fragmented, individual-based follow-up procedures, services will now be continuously monitored digitally by an integrated team through a beneficiary management system. This marks a significant procedural reform in the manner in which the government delivers services to its citizens.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to the Australian Government and to The Asia Foundation for their generous support and visionary commitment in making this initiative a reality. On behalf of the people of the Northern Province, I warmly welcome the High Commissioner, whose visit further strengthens the long-standing friendship between Australia and Sri Lanka. May this opening ceremony mark the beginning of many more successful milestones in our shared journey toward social justice and social empowerment,” he said.
Following the inauguration ceremony, the guests were briefed by the Divisional Secretary of Oddusuddan, R. Nisanthan, on the effective functioning of the centre. The Social Care Centre stands as a symbol of the strong partnership between the Northern Provincial Council, the Provincial Ministry of Women’s Affairs, the Department of Social Services, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, the Oddusuddan Divisional Secretariat, the Government of Australia, and The Asia Foundation.
The event was attended by Mullaitivu District Secretary A. Umamageswaran, Sri Lanka Representative of The Asia Foundation Johan Robert, Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Northern Province – M. Nanthagopalan, the Assistant Chief Secretary, the Director of the Department of Social Services, staff of the Divisional Secretariat, and many others.
