President Anura Kumara Dissanayake delivered a strong message during a public rally in Kantale, making it clear that only local government bodies under the National People’s Power (NPP) would receive financial support from the central government — and others would not.
Speaking candidly, the President stated that proposals for the upcoming national budget, expected in November, will begin to be collected from June. He explained how the evaluation process works: “Let’s say a Pradeshiya Sabha like Kantale submits a proposal showing they don’t have enough income but a lot of work to do. When we look at who submitted it, and it turns out to be an NPP-controlled council, we’ll approve it with our eyes closed. But if it’s from someone else, we’ll look at it ten times over.”
President Dissanayake justified this approach by citing the failures of past administrations. “Do you know how the previous groups did things? They poured a little concrete on the road and took the rest for their own pockets. Aren’t they all gone now?” he asked the crowd.
He further warned that councils not aligned with the ruling party would likely find themselves sidelined. “We are not going to hand over funds just for them to be stolen. So, who should be empowered? It must be the National People’s Power. Otherwise, the councils will be sidelined, dragging their feet on the work the central government is trying to push forward. That won’t help the people,” he said.
The President’s remarks come at a critical moment as the country heads into local government elections. With this announcement, the NPP signals its intent to centralize and streamline development efforts — but only through councils that align with their governance model.
