An extent of 1,000 acres is to be released for the resettlement of the people in the Jaffna District by April and the Security Forces are exploring possibilities of releasing more land for resettlement in the district.

The Government also plans to set up special economic zones in a number of areas in the country, including Jaffna, Kandy, Hambantota and Trincomalee, with an objective of providing youth with 1 million employment avenues.

According to Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, this is one of the flagship programs of the Government, which would be implemented after the General election.

“The unemployment issue is not merely limited to the North, but is prevalent in all provinces,” he said.

He said the Northern Province was ahead of all other provinces in terms of agriculture, while more technology should be used in agriculture.
“We are ready to make the necessary financial allocations to achieve this objective in the agriculture sector,” he said.

The Prime Minister was of the view that the development of the country is possible, if the Jaffna district is developed to suit the 21st century.
He said that the people, who wanted to achieve genuine peace in the country, gave a mandate to President Maithripala Sirisena and the government is exercising that mandate.

The Prime Minister said that he would turn the next parliament into a government with an objective of solving the ethnic issue and each member would have a responsibility in this regard. 

(Source- President Media Unit)