President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that the Government had assumed the responsibility of ensuring a better life for every person born in this country, who contributes to its economy and who will ultimately become part of this land.
The President made these remarks this morning (28) while attending the ceremony to hand over to the people the “Navodaya Gama” housing project constructed for 50 families from Poonagala and Kabaragala who lost their homes in a landslide in 2023 and had been living in difficult and unsafe conditions for nearly three and a half years.
The President also emphasised that the Government would work to provide the Malayagam community, whom he described as our own brothers and sisters, with full rights and a better life in this country, and that it would not be justifiable to pass on to their children the life they have endured for centuries.
He said the previous Cabinet had decided to remove the obstacles faced by people who had left the country during the war and were living in India, enabling them to return to Sri Lanka.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said priority had been given to housing construction projects in the forthcoming Budget, and that the Government expected to include provisions safeguarding the rights of the Malayagam community in agreements entered into with plantation companies in the future.
The President also stressed the responsibility of protecting the central hills, which he described as the heart of the country, for future generations. He said steps would be taken to introduce a Bill to Parliament by the end of this year or early next year to establish a Central Highlands Protection Authority by bringing together the powers of all institutions and departments responsible for this task under one authority.
The housing project has been constructed in accordance with the Government’s “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life” policy, with the aim of providing these families, who had lived for years in an unsafe environment, with a secure home, their own land and a life of dignity.
Under the project, 50 fully equipped houses, each measuring 550 square feet, have been constructed on plots of 10 perches each. Each house consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom, and approximately Rs. 3.2 million has been spent on each house.
In addition, each family moving into the new homes has been provided with essential items, including furniture and kitchen equipment, worth approximately Rs. 175,000.
The President symbolically handed over house keys and title deeds to 10 beneficiaries at the ceremony.
Meanwhile, under the Indian Housing Programme to construct 4,000 houses, the President also presided over the presentation of freehold title deeds to 163 beneficiaries residing in houses constructed in the Haldu¬mmulla, Bandarawela and Haputale Divisional Secretariat Divisions of the Badulla District.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also presented a symbolic gift to Army Commander Lieutenant General Nilantha Premaratne in appreciation of the active and commendable contribution made by the Sri Lanka Army Corps of Engineers at every stage of the construction of the “Navodaya Gama” housing project, from cutting earth and preparing the land to laying the foundations and completing the houses to a high standard.
The President was also presented with commemorative gifts as a token of appreciation from the beneficiary families.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake further stated:
“Today is a special day for the people of this area. The Malayagam community, who have contributed to building our country’s economy for more than 200 years, are our own people. Where they came from and when they came here are not important. That is history. But the people who are born in our country today, who contribute to its economy and who will ultimately become part of this land, are people of our country. Although they have lived here for more than two centuries, they remain a community without ownership of a piece of land of their own in this motherland. They are a people who have been deprived of their own homes.
Every person needs five basic things to maintain a decent standard of living: a home, a source of income, education for their children, a healthy life and mental well-being. But when we look at the Malayagam community, which of these needs have been fulfilled? Therefore, ensuring that the basic needs of every community are met is the challenge facing our Government and the responsibility entrusted to us.
For that purpose, we have implemented a number of housing projects. We also expect to give priority to housing construction in the forthcoming Budget. People also need a good source of income. We have taken many steps towards that end. We have already been able to provide a wage increase for the Malayagam community. I do not believe that it is sufficient, but it is a start. We are also paying considerable attention to the education of their children. It is not justifiable to pass on to their children the life this community has endured for centuries. They are born on the estates, work on the estates and die on the estates. They must be brought out of that life.
Education is the key to this. Therefore, we are prepared to pay special attention to the education of these children and work towards that goal.
We must also provide good healthcare facilities to ensure a healthy life. That is our responsibility as a Government. This community has the highest incidence of low-birth-weight babies, the highest number of children under five suffering from malnutrition and a lower life expectancy.
For more than two centuries, successive administrations that marginalised these people and failed to pay attention to them have brought them to this situation. I assure you that we will work to give you, as our own brothers and sisters, full rights and a good life in this country.
Today, the land issue has emerged as a major problem for this community. Although they work on the estates, the companies are not prepared to provide them with land. However, the agreements with these companies are due to expire by 2042. The Ministry has already appointed a committee to follow up on these agreements and is conducting an inquiry. We hope to conclude these agreements very soon. We will enter into these agreements with provisions aimed at safeguarding the rights of this community.
Most importantly, the central hills are the heart of our country. There are 103 rivers and streams that flow from these central hills. A major part of our agriculture, environmental conditions and economy is represented by the central hills. Approximately 13% of our land belongs to the central hills. Around 72% of the country’s annual rainfall falls on these central hills. The central hills are the most important area of our country.
However, today we are experiencing the consequences of decades of unplanned development. More than 1,200 major landslides have reportedly occurred in recent times. Several decades ago, we heard about a country where landslides did not occur. A few decades later, we began hearing of one or two landslides. Now we are hearing about thousands of landslides. Therefore, the central hills are being destroyed before our very eyes.
It is our responsibility to protect these central hills, which are crucial to the security of our country and an important part of its future. We have already begun working, with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank, to draft a special Bill. Accordingly, we will establish a Central Highlands Protection Authority. It will take us decades to restore the area to its former condition. However, we must stop the actions that are contributing to its destruction. We will bring together the powers of all institutions and departments responsible for this matter. We will establish the Central Highlands Protection Authority. We will work to have the Bill passed by Parliament and establish the Authority by the end of this year or early next year.
If we are to restore the health of the central hills, we must bring together under a single authority all powers relating to resolving the problems of the communities, protecting biodiversity, environmental conservation, forest conservation, wildlife, irrigation, agriculture and other relevant areas. We must protect these central hills for future generations. We must intervene by making certain commitments to achieve this. We must fulfil this task as a national responsibility.
Safeguarding the rights of the Malayagam community is of particular importance. The Government of India has provided us with long-term assistance in this regard, and we are grateful to them for it. During the recent war, there were obstacles preventing people who had left the country and were living in India from returning to Sri Lanka. The Cabinet recently decided to remove all such obstacles. The Department of Immigration and Emigration has taken steps to provide the necessary assistance for this purpose.
All these people are citizens of our country. They are people born in this country, who have contributed to its economy and who will ultimately become part of this land. We must provide a better life for all of them. As a Government, we have assumed the responsibility of ensuring that they inherit such a life.
Our aspiration is to give you a better life, provide your children with a better future and transform this country into an even more beautiful country. We seek the support of all of you towards achieving this.”
Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Samantha Vidyaratne
“After Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed the presidency, discussions were held on launching this housing project as the first task of our Ministry. Accordingly, after securing the necessary funds and holding discussions with the Ministry of Defence, the responsibility for constructing these houses rapidly and to the required standards was entrusted to the armed forces.
We have also turned our attention to housing projects that were commenced but remain incomplete. There are housing projects in various locations that were started in 2004 but never completed. We are now constructing these houses in stages. Some housing projects that began in 2004, 22 years ago, were halted midway due to various problems. However, we are extremely pleased that we have been able to construct these houses to a high standard and hand them over to you within a very short period after commencing work in 2025. I am particularly grateful to our colleagues in the Army who worked with great dedication on this project.
The Malayagam community is a community that has invested its sweat and tears in enriching this country. They work in the plantation sector. Last year, we earned US$1.5 billion from tea exports.
Before the President assumed office, in 2023, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Malayagam community in this country, he travelled to Hatton and issued the historic Hatton Declaration. It stated that under a government led by us, the rights of this community would be
ensured. Today marks an occasion that symbolises the fulfilment of that commitment. This is not merely about providing a house; it is an opportunity to provide people with dignity, ownership, security and a better life.
Before our Government came to power, only around 734 houses had been constructed in the Badulla District over the past 10 years for people affected by disasters. Our Government has not yet been in power for two years. Yet we have already commenced work on more than 4,000 houses in the Badulla District. A further 10,000 houses are being constructed under the Indian assistance programme. I thank the Government of India for its support in this regard.”
Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Sundaralingam Pradeep
“Today is a joyful day not only for the people of the hill country but for the entire country. It is a joyful day on which ownership of homes is being given to hill-country people affected by disasters.
The people of the hill country have placed great trust in the present Government. These people have been deceived for more than 200 years. The political change that took place in 2024 paved the way for a positive change for our people. Accordingly, what was stated in the Hatton Declaration is now being implemented. Today, wage increases have been granted to the hill-country people without any struggles, demonstrations or hunger strikes.
It must be stated that all the houses constructed here today have been built at Government expense. This is only the beginning. From this point onwards, this programme will be implemented throughout the hill country. The National People’s Power’s promise to provide every citizen with a house with ownership of a plot of land is being fulfilled today.”
The Maha Sangha and other religious leaders, Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Susil Ranasinghe, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs Dinindu Saman Kumara Hennayake, Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe, Uva Province Governor Attorney-at-Law J. M. Kapila Jayasekara, Members of Parliament, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Badulla District Secretary Sunil Galagama, foreign representatives including Acting Indian High Commissioner Maitrey Kulkarni, and a large number of local residents were present at the occasion.
