Hon. Governor N. Vethanayahan of the Northern Province has called the LANTERN (Land and Trust-Building Engagement) project, a land and trust-building initiative being implemented in the Northern and Eastern Provinces with the support of the United Nations a great boon for the Northern Province, and has urged that the project be implemented without delay.
A special discussion on the LANTERN project, which aims to resolve longstanding land issues in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, was held via Zoom technology on Thursday (18 June 2026).
The project is to be carried out as a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation.
With a funding of approximately 3 million US dollars, the project is to be implemented over a period of 24 months. The initial targets set under this project include the release of 1,000 acres of land by the government and the issuance of formal land title certificates to 1,000 individuals. Through this, approximately 1,500 families are expected to benefit directly, and up to 200,000 people indirectly.
The primary objectives of the project are to strengthen trust between the government and communities by resolving land disputes, and to accelerate land release, resettlement, and community integration.
Sharing his views at the discussion, Hon. Governor N. Vethanayahan stated: “The land issue is the foremost problem in the Northern Province. Due to the war, civilians and government departments have lost land-related documents entirely, and this problem continues to persist. Under such circumstances, this project is extremely necessary for our province and must be taken forward without delay. Mullaitivu and Mannar districts in our province have been selected for the pilot project. It would be excellent if Kilinochchi District could also be included in the pilot scheme. Furthermore, providing the necessary training to land registry officials and strengthening that department would greatly benefit our province in the future.”
During the discussion, detailed deliberations took place between representatives of the Ministry and representatives of UN agencies on how to effectively handle the project and address practical challenges.
The special meeting was attended by several senior officials including officials from the Central Land Registry, officials from the Central Ministry of Agriculture, District Secretaries of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, the Secretary to the Eastern Province Governor, and the Secretary to the Northern Province Governor.
