Hon. Governor of Northern Province N. Vethanayahan called for building Mankulam as the center of the North by making proper use of the opportunities and possibilities available to us.
The official inauguration event and the first stakeholders’ meeting of the Mankulam Town Development Project (2026–2036), which is being implemented jointly by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) together with Puthukkudiyiruppu, Manthai East, and Vavuniya North Pradeshiya Sabhas, took place this Tuesday morning (24 February 2026) at the Puthukkudiyiruppu Pradeshiya Sabha’s conference hall.
Participating as the chief guest and delivering an address at this event, the Northern Province Governor emphasized that we must dedicate ourselves to acting with commitment for the development of the province by properly utilizing the rare opportunities and occasions available to us.
The Governor noted that whether such opportunities will come again if missed is questionable, and stated that we must ourselves demand and obtain what we need. During his tenure as District Secretary of Mullaitivu, he identified Mankulam as the center of the Northern Province and allocated lands for it. However, those plans were not fully implemented. After the war, it is regrettable that Mankulam town, located on the A-9 main road, remains in a weakened state. He pointed out that this project is a manifestation of the major effort to change that situation and rebuild the town.
The Governor also revealed that programs are underway to gradually shift several departments of the Northern Provincial Council, which currently operate centered on Jaffna, toward Mankulam. He expressed confidence that this project by the Urban Development Authority would greatly help break the contradiction where the Northern Province is rich in resources yet ranks high in poverty. He extended his special thanks to the Urban Development Authority officials for quickly organizing this meeting in line with his request.
At the beginning of this discussion, the Northern Province Director of the Urban Development Authority, Dissanayaka, delivered the welcome address and requested that all parties provide continuous support and cooperation for this first meeting to prepare the upcoming 10-year plan.
Following that, the Hon. Chairman of the Puthukkudiyiruppu Pradeshiya Sabha welcomed this initiative as a continuation of the field visit he made to Mankulam town jointly with the Governor after assuming office for the Sabha last year, and appealed for measures to also reactivate the bus stand there.
The Hon. Chairman of the Manthai East Pradeshiya Sabha, while expressing his views, stated that since four villages under his Sabha are included in the Mankulam town development project, it would serve as a major opportunity for the development of those villages.
Similarly, the Hon. Chairman of the Vavuniya North Pradeshiya Sabha welcomed the inclusion of four severely war-affected and backward wards of his Pradeshiya Sabha in this project, and pledged his full cooperation for the region’s development.
Subsequently, Mrs. Kavitha Jeevakan, Deputy Director of the Urban Development Authority, provided a comprehensive technical explanation regarding the Mankulam Town Development Project.
The meeting today was centered on high-level objectives such as creating awareness among all stakeholders about the purpose and importance of the development project, fostering close cooperation among the planning committee, the public, and people’s representatives, obtaining long-term visionary ideas on how development should proceed, identifying current possibilities and issues, and gathering initial suggestions regarding future development opportunities.
Many participated in this event, including the Hon. Chairmen, Hon. Members, and Secretaries of the Pradeshiya Sabhas; officials from the Colombo head office and Northern Province office of the Urban Development Authority; representatives from other relevant government institutions; and representatives from community organizations.
