Professor K. Devarajah is really a good-natured and humanitarian person. “His nature of treating everyone equally with a gentle smile, without any distinction between young or old, is what has placed him in a respected and elevated position in society,” stated the Honorable Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.

The Platinum Jubilee, representing the 75th birthday of the first professor, K. Devarajah, Department of Commerce, University of Jaffna, was successfully held today (24th May of 2026) at 2.30 pm in the ‘Kanthaiyah Annamma, Rasaiyah Rasamma’ Auditorium located at Pararajasekara Pillayar Temple, Inuvil. The governor made these remarks during his speech at the event, which was chaired by K. Kanagarasa, the head of the Platinum Jubilee Board.

While continuing his address at the event, Governor Further said, “Anyone can easily access Professor K. Devarajah.” He will do any help for anyone without hesitating and with a smiling face. Even for the strangers, he will have a broadened mind to help by taking them in person to the relevant departments.

Good qualities in him, such as piety and extra care for society and humanity, consist of multiple dimensions. In every aspect, he stands as an excellent exemplary person and a great personality whom we can take as a role model. It is rare to see a good-hearted person like him. He stated that he prays to the Almighty that he should live for another hundred years, not stopping with this diamond jubilee, in recognition of his social concern and noble character, and he extended his heartfelt wishes.

The ‘Devamirtham – 4’ book was launched at this silver jubilee. Further, Sivasri Somaskantha Pirasanna Kurukkal delivered words of blessings. It is mentionable that many educational scholars, including former vice chancellor and lifetime professor Pon. Palasuntharampillai, professor. K. Sivananthamoorthy, religious clergy and social activists also participated in this event and provided felicitation messages.

As another phase of the government’s “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, introduced in line with the vision of His Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Northern Province Honorable Governor N. Vethanayahan officially inaugurated the coastal clean-up programme for the Jaffna District today, Saturday (23rd of May 2026) morning, under the theme “Beautiful Coastline – Attractive Tourist Destination.”

Under the guidance of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, a total of 256 coastal clean-up programmes have been organized across the country by the Sri Lankan Army with the support of government institutions. In parallel with this initiative, 30 clean-up programmes covering the coastal areas of the Jaffna Peninsula were carried out today.

The main event was organized by the 512th Infantry Brigade at the Pannai Beach area in Jaffna under the guidance of Major General Priyantha Navaratne, Commander of the Jaffna Security Forces and under the supervision of Major General Rizvi Raasik, Commander of the 51st Infantry Division.

The Northern Province Governor’s Secretariat, the Tourism Bureau, the Navy, the Air Force, the Police, the Police Special Task Force, and government institutions in the Jaffna region jointly participated in carrying out this programme.

It was emphasized on this occasion that while everyone wishes to live in a clean and beautiful country, achieving this goal successfully is the responsibility of every citizen of Sri Lanka. It was further stressed that if we fail to fulfill our duties as responsible individuals, we cannot expect a better future, and that the active participation and dedication of everyone are essential for this effort.

N. Vethanayahan, The Honorable Governor of the Northern Province, Major General Priyantha Navaratne, the Commander of the Jaffna Security Forces, and Major General Rizvi Raasik, Commander of the 51st Infantry Division, participated in the inauguration ceremony of this large-scale coastal clean-up programme.

In addition, the event was attended by several distinguished officials, including the Additional District Secretary of Jaffna District, the Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, the Director of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, the Divisional Secretaries of Jaffna and Nallur, the Chairman of the Northern Province Tourism Bureau, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Jaffna Division, and the Commanding Officer of the Palaly Air Force Base, a large number of military personnel, police officers, government officials, and members of the public also actively participated in the programme with great enthusiasm.

“Poverty should never become a barrier to education for any student in the Northern Province. No child should ever be placed in a situation where they are forced to abandon their education because of poverty. Ensuring this is the foremost responsibility of us as authorities,” stated the Honorable Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.

The opening ceremony of the new building of Selvanagar Vidyalayam in Kilinochchi was held successfully today (22nd May of 2026), Friday at 2.30 p.m., under the leadership of the school principal, C. Mahendrarajah. This two-storey building was constructed at a cost of 23 million rupees allocated from the Provincial Specific Development Grant Fund. It is noteworthy that this is the first multi-storey building to be established at this school.

The guests who attended the ceremony were ceremoniously welcomed with a marching band parade performed by the school students. Following the traditional lighting of the ceremonial lamp, the national flag and the school flag were hoisted. Thereafter, the new building was officially declared open for the use of the students by the Honorable Governor, who attended as the chief guest. A tree-planting event was also held within the school premises.

While addressing the gathering, the Governor further stated:

“The rise and fall of an institution depend greatly on its leader. In the case of schools especially, the leadership of the principal is extremely important. It is due to the excellent leadership of the principal of this school that the institution is progressing steadily towards development today. He works with dedication and genuine concern for the community. He guides both the community and the teachers with care and efficiency. The teachers here also deserve high praise for the exceptional concern and commitment they show towards the students. I sincerely appreciate the way everyone here works together collectively as one team.

It gives me even greater happiness to know that the youth of this village are extending their full support to the noble efforts of the principal and teachers. In the current environment where accusations are often made that young people in many places are going astray, it is highly commendable that the youth here are actively concerned about the school and the education of the students and are helping to monitor and guide them. In some other areas of the Vanni region too, young people are engaging themselves in controlling unlawful activities within their villages. I highly appreciate such socially responsible youth.

The principal mentioned in his speech that many students studying in this school have lost either one parent or both parents. We must certainly embrace and support such children. When they succeed in education, their families will progress, and subsequently the entire community will develop. The efforts of the principal and teachers in identifying children who remain at home without attending school due to the lack of parental supervision, and bringing them back to school, are truly immeasurable. The service you render to this community is truly magnum.

The current government is giving greater attention to rural development and the improvement of infrastructure facilities. When society advances through education, villages too will naturally progress.

As far as I am concerned, many schools in the Vanni region are located in isolated villages. Those schools are often the only opportunity available for the students there to receive an education. If those students do not receive education there, their entire future will become bleak. That is why we are giving priority to filling teacher vacancies in such schools. During teacher transfers, we face many challenges because we pay special attention to this matter. Regardless of whatever opposition may arise, we will remain firm in ensuring the education of the students of Vanni.”

The event was attended by special guests including the M. Patrick Diranjan, Secretary of the Northern Province Ministry of Education, Cultural Affairs, Sports and Youth Affairs; Y. Jeyachandran, Northern Provincial Director of Education; and Mrs. Pradeepa Gayathri Gajapathi Kilinochchi South Zonal Director of Education. Among the honored guests who also graced the occasion were Sivasri Vipulananda Kurukkal of the Selvanagar Muthumari Amman Temple, Rev. Fr. Jonkanisiyus Adigalar of Uruthirapuram Parish, and S. Dharmarathinam, Karaichi Divisional Education Officer. Along with them, members of the school community, students, and villagers also participated in large numbers at the event.

The Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, emphasized that we welcome the initiatives being implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to improve the livelihoods of inland fishing communities and should be expanded to other parts of the Northern Province as well.

He made the above remarks a delegation from the International Labour Organization and the Norwegian Embassy met with the Hon. Governor and discussed on this morning (Friday, 22th May of 2026) at the Northern Province Governor’s Secretariat.

During the meeting, the Governor further stated that agriculture and fisheries form the economic backbone of the Northern Province. However, farmers and fishermen continue to face major challenges in marketing their products and dealing with price fluctuations. He pointed out that middlemen are often the primary beneficiaries of profits. To address this situation, more value-added manufacturing industries should be established. he noted that only through greater competition in the market can farmers and fishermen receive fair prices for their produce.

The representatives also inquired about investment opportunities in the Northern Province. In response, the Governor explained that the Northern Province Investment Conference, organized last January through “The Management Club,” had been successfully conducted, and follow-up activities are currently underway. He added that expatriate investors had also shown keen interest and participated actively.At the same time, he mentioned that the present government is planning to establish three new investment zones in the Northern Province, and preliminary efforts toward this initiative are already in progress. In addition, foundational construction work for the Paranthan Chemical Factory has now commenced.

Meanwhile, the representatives also asked about the information regarding the challenges faced by the people of the Northern Province due to the prevailing crisis situations in Middle Eastern countries.

The Governor further pointed out that local fishermen are still engaged in fishing using traditional methods. He stressed the importance of encouraging modernization by providing them with multi-day fishing vessels.

The Governor also clarified the financial assistance being provided through the Provincial Council to promote inland fishing and discussed ways to further strengthen the sector. Representatives of the International Labour Organization explained the operations of the tilapia fish processing facility that was opened in Iranamadu. Extensive discussions were held on how the project could be further developed, expanded to other districts, and supported through provincial administrative cooperation.

Following people were participated in the meeting :
• Sivapalasundaram Sathiyaseelan, Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province
• Tormod Nooland, Second Secretary of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi
• Akansha, Senior Programme Officer of the Royal Norwegian Embassy
• Thomas Kring, Chief Technical Adviser of the International Labour Organization
• Nihal Devagiri, National Coordinator of the ILO’s “GROW” Project
• Field Coordinators Vasudev and Thapesan

In the 2026 Yala cultivation season in the Northern Province, a paddy harvest of 174,000 metric tons is expected. This is projected to be the highest yield ever anticipated for a Yala season in the Northern Province. Northern Province Ministry of Agriculture Secretary S. Sivasri stated this.

According to the Yala cultivation targets released by the Provincial Ministry of Agriculture, paddy cultivation is planned across a total extent of 39,215 hectares throughout the province this season. Through this, the overall provincial paddy productivity is estimated at 4.4 metric tons per hectare. He also pointed out that the restoration of tanks by the Northern Province Irrigation Department through provincially allocated funds and various other funding sources has made this record-high production target achievable.

Among the districts in the province, Mullaitivu District is expected to have the largest cultivation extent, with paddy cultivation planned on 13,805 hectares. Based on a productivity rate of 4.5 metric tons per hectare, a harvest of 62,123 metric tons is anticipated there. Following this, Kilinochchi District is expected to cultivate 12,523 hectares and produce 56,354 metric tons, while Vavuniya District is expected to cultivate 8,601 hectares and yield 34,404 metric tons. In Mannar District, paddy cultivation is planned on 4,286 hectares. With the highest productivity rate in the province at 5.0 metric tons per hectare, the district is expected to achieve a harvest of 21,430 metric tons.

He further stated that, considering the current rainfall and favorable climatic conditions, there is a possibility of making even more favorable revisions to these estimates and cultivation extents in the future.

The Northern Province’s honorable governor stated that particularly analyzing the real effects of the plans implemented by United Nations Development Plan and the targets achieved in the previous year’s plans in our province will largely help to plan and design the future development plans effectively.

A special meeting was held between David Slattery, regional evaluation advisor, and Catalina Salazar, the evaluation analyst of the United Nations Development Plan, as well as a team with the chairmanship of the Hon. Governor today (21st May 2026) at the Governor’s secretariat.

The aim of the meeting was to review the deep evaluation regarding many socio-economic and infrastructure development plans implemented in preceding periods in our province by the U.N.D.P. organization, to review the current situation of those plans, and to review the targets achieved through those plans. Meanwhile, it was deeply discussed about the plans that are to be implemented as per the need of our province by considering the lessons that arose from the previous year’s plans.

It is noteworthy that the secretary to the Northern Province Governor, the secretary to the Ministry of Local Government, and the secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, along with the coordinating secretary to the Governor, also participated in this meeting.

Representatives of Asian Development Bank Stated to the Northern Province Hon. Governor that His Excellency Anura Kumara dissanayaka has instructed them to pay high attention to the development in the North and Eastern Provinces, and their projects will be implemented according to their plans.

High-level officers who visited Jaffna, such as Manoj Sarma, Director of Water and Urban Development of the Asian Development Bank; Jan Van der Vliet, Advisor to the Director Board; and Kamal Dahanayaka, Chief Project Officer for Urban and Sanitation of the Resident Mission of Sri Lanka, mentioned the above statement while they met with the Hon. Governor on Tuesday (19th May 2026).

During this meeting, the representatives stated that they had reviewed the projects that had been completed under their financial assistance as well as those currently being implemented. They also shared their views specifically regarding the drinking water supply project for the Jaffna Peninsula being carried out from Thalaiyadi. They emphasized the need to expedite the activities of providing drinking water connections to households through that project, and they also presented their suggestions regarding the connection charges.

The representatives expressed satisfaction that the ongoing water supply and infrastructure projects are nearing completion and that the public is already directly benefiting from them. They further noted that they had gained first-hand understanding of the development achievements reached so far as well as the challenges that still need to be addressed. They also pointed out that the experiences gained through this field visit would greatly assist in evaluating and approving new projects for this region once they return to their headquarters.

During the discussion, the Honorable Governor brought the drinking water issue faced by the people of Neduntheevu to the attention of the representatives. He explained that, as there is no other feasible way to supply drinking water to Neduntheevu, desalination of seawater into freshwater remains the only solution. The Governor further pointed out that the existing Reverse Osmosis Plant currently operating there is insufficient to meet the full water needs of the people, and therefore requested the establishment of an additional reverse osmosis desalination plant. In response, representatives of the Asian Development Bank requested the Governor to explore the possibility of utilizing the remaining savings from the current projects to support such new initiatives.

Furthermore, considering the very high operational cost of the water purification plant under the current peninsula drinking water supply project, the representatives also requested attention toward alternative plans to prevent rainwater in Jaffna from flowing directly into the sea and instead conserve and utilize it effectively. The meeting extensively discussed the alternative measures already undertaken in this regard, along with their advantages and disadvantages.

Subsequently, the representatives also stated that the Asian Development Bank would extend assistance for the wastewater management network project for Jaffna city. They further assured that the tender-calling process for this major project would commence within this year.

In addition, the representatives of the Asian Development Bank pointed out that the special program expected to be implemented nationwide to strengthen local government authorities would also include the underprivileged local authorities in the Northern Province, and that comprehensive support would be provided to them.

Among those who participated in the discussion were Northern Province Governor’s Secretary S. Sathiyaseelan, officials of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, the Governor’s Private Secretary, coordinating secretaries, and several others.

Mr. T.C. Aravindaraj has been appointed as the new Commissioner of the Jaffna Municipal Council, while Mr. S. Krishnendran has been appointed as the new Director of the Northern Province Department of Industries by the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, Mr. N. Vethanayagan.

The official ceremony for presenting the appointment letters to these two newly appointed officials was held today (19th May 2026), Tuesday, at the Governor’s Secretariat under the leadership of the Hon. Governor.

It is noteworthy that the Secretary to the Governor of the Northern Province, Mr. S. Sathiyaseelan, also participated in the appointment letter presentation ceremony.