“The foremost responsibility of Divisional Secretaries is to resolve the land issues of the people. Officials must not keep the public waiting or subject them to unnecessary hardships. I would like to stress that all officials have a duty to settle land-related matters within the prescribed time frame and provide the necessary documentation promptly,” stated the Governor of the Northern Province, Hon. N. Vethanayahan.
A special review meeting to evaluate the five-year performance of the Kilinochchi District was held at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat on Tuesday morning (23 June 2026) under the chairmanship of the Governor of the Northern Province. The meeting was organized by the Northern Provincial Land Commissioner’s Department.
Delivering the welcome address, Kilinochchi District Secretary S. Muralitharan pointed out that Kilinochchi has the highest number of unresolved land issues among Sri Lanka’s 25 districts. He further expressed concern that, although around 8,600 individuals without any land disputes had applied for land ownership documents and the relevant programme was launched in November last year, progress in issuing those documents has fallen short of expectations.
Delivering the keynote address, Governor N. Vethanayahan stated:
“Many entrepreneurs in the Kilinochchi District are facing difficulties due to their inability to obtain land ownership documents, which in turn prevents them from securing loans from banks. To address this issue, the ‘Himigama’ programme for issuing land titles to the public has been launched under the leadership of His Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. In addition, several initiatives aimed at resolving land-related issues are being implemented with the support of the United Nations.
As a result of the war, many land documents are unavailable both in the District Secretariats and among the affected people themselves. Consequently, individuals are compelled to move from one office to another in search of solutions to their land disputes. In such circumstances, while officials are expected to act responsibly, there are instances where some officers act negligently, further complicating the problems faced by the public.
I have personally received complaints from members of the public that they are unable to meet or communicate with land-related officials even when they visit government offices
The Governor further stated:
“In the past, land allocation and the resolution of land disputes were often affected by political interference, creating a situation in which officials were unable to act independently. However, that situation no longer exists. Today, you have the opportunity to address the people’s issues independently, impartially, and in accordance with the law.
It is deeply concerning that, despite the considerable efforts made by the District Secretary and the Provincial Land Commissioner to resolve these issues, adequate cooperation is not being extended by some lower-level officials. This situation cannot be allowed to continue.
I therefore urge all officials concerned to extend their fullest cooperation so that lasting solutions can be found to the land-related problems faced by the people,” he said.
Following this, a detailed review of the land administration activities carried out by each Divisional Secretariat was conducted. Explanations were sought from land officers in Divisional Secretariats where performance had declined, and new targets were set with instructions to ensure their achievement within the stipulated period.
The Governor emphasized that officers must carry out their duties efficiently and effectively, noting that the necessary facilities and allowances had already been provided to support their work. The Provincial Land Commissioner further stated that the individual performance of officers would be closely monitored and regularly evaluated in the future to ensure improved service delivery and accountability.
Furthermore, the meeting also focused on the land disputes relating to lands under the Land Reform Commission within the Palai and Poonakary Divisional Secretariat divisions of the Kilinochchi District. The issues were discussed in detail with a view to identifying practical solutions and expediting their resolution.
The high-level discussion was attended by the Additional District Secretary of Kilinochchi District, Divisional Secretaries, Colonized Officers, Land Officers, the District Senior Surveyor, the Deputy Director of the Land Reform Commission, and the Kilinochchi District Coordinator of the Clean Sri Lanka Task Force.
