Having personally visited and assessed the true conditions in the underdeveloped villages of the Northern Province, Governor of Northern Province Hon. N. Vethanayahan has emphasized that projects for 2026 must be formulated on a priority basis to fulfill the promises given to the people.
A special meeting to review the 2026 project proposals of the Northern Province Ministry of Health, Indigenous Medicine, and Probation and Child Care Services was held this evening – on Friday 19 December 2025, at the Governor’s Secretariat. While chairing and addressing the meeting, the Governor issued the above directive.
The Governor further stated: “The main purpose of taking Ministry Secretaries and Department Heads along with me on field visits is to enable officials to witness the people’s livelihood challenges firsthand and prepare solid projects with the motivation to serve them. Therefore, 2026 action plans must be designed to unflinchingly fulfill the promises we have made to the people.
Numerous requests are being made to me regarding minor shortcomings in various hospitals. These must be addressed as immediate priorities. At the same time, many government buildings constructed in the past are lying unused. Instead of wasting funds on new constructions, action must be taken to utilize such idle buildings efficiently, even if they belong to other departments, by acquiring them,” the Governor instructed.
In the discussion, the Provincial Director of Health Services noted that developments for divisional hospitals are included in projects to be undertaken with financial assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. He also pointed out that hospitals were isolated and communications disrupted during past disasters, adding that steps are being taken to procure satellite phones next year to address such challenges.
Meanwhile, the Jaffna Regional Director of Health Services announced that Cabinet approval has been granted for the long-standing demand of the Analaitivu people for a patient ambulance boat.
Under the Provincial Specific Development Grant (PSDG), the meeting also extensively reviewed department-wise allocated funds and proposed projects for 2026:
• Department of Health Services: 1,071 million rupees
• Department of Probation and Child Care Services: 264 million rupees
• Department of Indigenous Medicine: 226 million rupees
Provincial Directors and Commissioners explained the key projects to be implemented with the above allocations to the Governor.
The discussion was attended by Secretary to the Governor, Northern Province, Secretary of Health Ministry, Deputy Chief Secretaries – Administration and Planning, Provincial Director of Buildings Department, and other provincial directors and Provincial commissioners.
