Deputy Defence Minister Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara informed Parliament yesterday that over 700 acres of land in the Northern and Eastern Provinces have been released to the public so far this year (2025).
He said that between January 1 and October 10, a total of 672.24 acres of land in the Northern Province have been returned to the people. This includes 86.24 acres of privately-owned land and 586 acres previously occupied by the military.
In the Eastern Province, 34.58 acres of government land have also been released during the same period, he added.
The Deputy Minister further noted that issues surrounding land in Eechankulam, in the Vavuniya District, are currently being addressed and are expected to be resolved soon to facilitate public release.
He explained that the lands were released following the submission of relevant documentation to the National Security Council (NSC) and the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security.
Deputy Defence Minister Jayasekara made these remarks in response to a question raised in Parliament by Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam.
