Taking into account the large financial allocations made to the Northern Province, the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, has instructed officials to continue development work in the province without any delays or interruptions.
A special high-level discussion to examine the challenges faced in carrying out development activities without disruption under the current difficult external environment, and to explore alternative arrangements, was held this morning – on Friday, 20 March 2026, at the Governor’s Secretariat.
At the outset of the discussion, Hon. Governor N. Vethanayahan stated:
“No department should, under any circumstances, halt its development work. By following the special guidelines issued by the government, we can continue our planned routine development activities without interruption. Officials need not show any hesitation in carrying out development work citing the current external situation.
All activities should be accelerated as already planned. Several departments have already called for tenders for their projects. Responsible officers must promptly complete the remaining technical evaluations and take immediate steps to call for tenders for the remaining work.”
Following this, secretaries of Provincial Ministries, Heads of Provincial Departments, and Provincial Commissioners briefed the Governor on the practical challenges and ground-level conditions they are currently facing.
In particular, officials highlighted issues related to fuel distribution. It was noted that, except in Jaffna, there are difficulties in obtaining sufficient fuel for officers who must travel to field locations—especially to remote areas—to prepare evaluations for development projects. Due to the limited number of fuel stations in such underdeveloped regions, officers face practical difficulties in accessing fuel.
Additionally, officials stated that contractors who had been awarded road development contracts have not yet commenced work due to shortages of construction materials. The sudden increase in market prices was also discussed as having a direct impact on planned development activities.
After considering these concerns, the Governor assured that prompt measures would be taken, in coordination with the respective District Secretaries, to resolve fuel supply issues for officers engaged in essential fieldwork.
“Proceed with all development work as planned, as far as possible, and expedite them. If there are shortages of certain construction materials, ensure that all preliminary arrangements are kept ready so that those projects can be implemented immediately without delay once materials become available in the market,” the Governor further instructed.
The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province, the Secretary to the Governor, Deputy Chief Secretaries, Secretaries of Provincial Ministries, Heads of Provincial Departments, Provincial Commissioners, and several other senior government officials.
