August 26, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed fresh attention towards the obstacles hindering the continuation and completion of national development projects that were stalled during the recent economic downturn, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.
With the country now seeking to stabilise and reorient its growth path, the President has called for greater accountability and urgency in both reviving past initiatives and delivering on newly launched programmes.
During a high-level meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat, President Dissanayake chaired discussions concerning projects funded under the 2025 budget allocations for the Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing.
The gathering also served as a precursor to the 2026 budget, offering a platform to evaluate progress and realign priorities.
The President stressed the importance of ensuring that all development efforts launched within the current year reach their intended milestones before year’s end. He warned that despite the government’s commitment to allocating adequate financial resources to the relevant ministries, poor utilisation of those funds within designated timeframes poses a major risk to the credibility and effectiveness of public investment.
A wide array of sectors came under review, including urban regeneration schemes, rural and affordable housing, city planning, environmental management, solid waste disposal, and improvements to water and sanitation infrastructure.
Officials provided updates on the status of projects being carried out across various provinces, with special attention paid to areas where delays or underperformance had been recorded.
President Dissanayake also emphasised that future development efforts must be grounded in the needs and voices of the communities they are meant to serve. He criticised the legacy of past governments, citing numerous state buildings constructed without proper planning or consultation—many of which now stand idle or unutilised.
In contrast, he underscored that public engagement should be a foundational element of housing and urban planning efforts moving forward.
