August 25, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Prajashakthi programme is moving into its next phase after the Government reviewed progress made during 2026 and began preparations for a broader community development programme in 2027.
A high-level meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (24) examined the programme’s performance, spending and administrative arrangements, while officials also mapped out priorities for the coming year.
The discussion was chaired by Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Minister Upali Pannilage and Presidential Secretary Nandika Sanath Kumaranayake.
Officials said approximately Rs.23 billion of the Rs.25 billion allocated to Prajashakthi through the 2026 Budget had already been spent on nearly 23,000 development projects. Authorities expect the remaining work to be completed before the end of the year.
A further Rs.2 billion has been earmarked for model initiatives and programmes aimed at developing small businesses and enterprises. These projects are expected to provide a foundation for future stages of the community empowerment initiative.
The Government has also strengthened the programme’s administrative structure by appointing community empowerment officers to local development councils. These officers are expected to assist the Department of Census and Statistics with collecting information at village and rural levels.
Officials stressed that close coordination would be essential during the data-gathering process, particularly to prevent duplication and inconsistencies when information is compiled by different government institutions.
Plans for the next phase include programmes to encourage small-scale enterprises, assessments of local development councils, skills and capacity-building initiatives, and the publication and distribution of operational guidelines. A three-year strategic plan is also being prepared to give the programme a longer-term direction.
One of the key developments is the completion of Prajashakthi’s national data and information system. Divisional Secretariat officials have been instructed to begin entering information into the system without delay, creating a more comprehensive database for future planning.
The Government intends to use this digital platform to prepare the 2027 Rural Development Plan, with planning expected to rely increasingly on data collected from communities rather than broad national-level assessments.
Presidential Senior Additional Secretary Kapila Janaka Bandara said the first phase of the 2027 programme would commence in Puttalam district on 2 and 3 September.
Minister Pannilage called for closer cooperation among all agencies involved in community development and social protection, stressing that national objectives could only be achieved effectively if institutions worked together rather than operating in isolation.
The Government hopes the strengthened data system, enterprise initiatives and local-level planning mechanisms will enable Prajashakthi to move beyond individual projects and establish a more coordinated approach to reducing poverty and expanding economic opportunities within rural communities.