COLOMBO, 10 April, 2021 (TON): A 15-member Presidential Task Force has been appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa aiming to achieve the goals set by the government through the “Gama Samaga Pilisandara” (Discussion with the Village) program.

The Task Force has a primary responsibility to direct all officers at the divisional level, including District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries and heads of all other institutions, on the need for service, to expedite the implementation of the President's instructions and directives to resolve issues and problems raised by the people during the program.

The Task Force is tasked with expediting road, drinking water, electricity, telephone communications, playgrounds, schools, hospitals, vocational education institutes, urban universities, land transfers, banking and financial facilities, markets, warehousing and infrastructure projects, implemented by national level government institutions in the Pradeshiya Sabhas and Divisional Secretariat Areas under the Budget Provisions 2021 - 2023.

The Presidential Task Force for Gama Samaga Pilisandara Rural Development is chaired by Minister of Youth and Sports Namal Rajapaksa and consists of a team of state ministers and parliamentarians.

State Ministers Nimal Lanza, Dilum Amunugama, Kanchana Wijesekera, Sita Arambepola, and Prof. Channa Jayasumana, MPs Kader Masthan, Kapila Athukorala, Sanjeewa Edirimanne, Nipuna Ranawaka, Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, Tiran Alles, Chandana Kumara, Gewindu Kumara, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Chinthaka Amal Mayadunne and Jayantha Weerasinghe are the other members.