A coordination committee was proposed in today’s meeting to facilitate the ongoing development efforts of the World Bank in the Northern Province.
A discussion was held Yesterday, Sunday (29.06.2025), at the Governor’s Secretariat between a delegation led by the World Bank Resident Representative for Sri Lanka and a group of officials, including the Honorable Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan; Honorable Ministers Bimal Ratnayake, Sunil Handunneththi, and R. Chandrasekaran; Deputy Minister Upali Samarasinghe; Members of Parliament K. Ilankumaran, S. Sribavanantharaja, J. Rajeevan, K. Thilaganathan, and M. Jagatheeswaran; the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province; and the Secretaries of the five Northern Districts.
In his welcome address, the Honorable Governor expressed his gratitude to the World Bank delegation for their efforts to implement development projects in the Northern and Eastern Provinces under the guidance of His Excellency the President. Following the Governor’s remarks, Minister R. Chandrasekaran appealed to the World Bank to extend its support in rebuilding and strengthening the Northern Province. Representing the government, Minister Bimal Ratnayake also conveyed his appreciation to the World Bank for its continued commitment and contributions
Based on the World Bank’s repeated visits to the Northern Province and its consultations with officials and local communities, eight development zones have been identified in the Northern Province, and seven in the Eastern Province. Of the eight zones identified in the Northern Province, three are located in the Jaffna District, two in the Kilinochchi District, and one each in the remaining three districts. Among the planned initiatives is the proposed Kokkilai Bridge, which will connect the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The World Bank will implement development projects under four key thematic areas: Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism, and Technology. A fund of US$ 100 million has been allocated for the first phase of implementation across both the Northern and Eastern Provinces.
During the discussion, the District Secretaries from each district presented their additional development needs and requested that the World Bank take these into consideration in future planning. A coordination committee was also proposed to ensure the timely and efficient implementation of the World Bank-supported projects. It was agreed that the committee should promptly take the necessary next steps to move the initiatives forward.
