Sri Lanka moves into a decisive recovery phase as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake formally appoints a high-level Presidential Task Force to lead nationwide disaster recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction following Cyclone Ditwa.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake issued an Extraordinary Gazette Notification this afternoon (31) establishing the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Presidential Task Force, marking a significant step in coordinating the country’s post disaster response after Cyclone Ditwa caused widespread damage across several regions.
The newly appointed Task Force is mandated to oversee disaster recovery, rehabilitation, and long-term reconstruction, ensuring a unified national approach to rebuilding infrastructure, restoring livelihoods, and strengthening disaster resilience. The move comes amid growing public demand for structured leadership and accountability in post disaster governance.
The Task Force comprises a 25-member team that includes Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, along with Cabinet Ministers, provincial leadership, senior public officials, and legal and policy experts. The composition reflects an effort to integrate political authority, administrative coordination, and technical expertise into a single operational framework.
According to the Gazette, the Task Force has been established in accordance with the powers vested in the President under Article 33 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. This constitutional mandate provides the Task Force with the authority required to streamline inter ministerial coordination, accelerate decision making, and align state institutions toward a common national recovery agenda.
Government sources indicate that the Task Force will focus on assessing damage, prioritising reconstruction projects, mobilising domestic and international assistance, and ensuring transparency in the use of public funds. The initiative is also expected to play a central role in strengthening disaster preparedness frameworks to mitigate future climate related risks.
The formation of the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Presidential Task Force signals a shift from emergency response to structured national rebuilding, placing institutional responsibility at the highest level of government as the country works to recover from one of its most severe natural disasters in recent years.
Presidential Task Force
- Harini Amarasuriya
(Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training) - H.M. Vijitha Herath
(Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism) - A.H.M.H. Abayaratne
(Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government) - K.D. Lal Kantha
(Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation) - Upali Pannilage
(Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment) - Sunil Handunnetti
(Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development) - Bimal Ratnayake
(Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development) - Nalinda Jayatissa
(Minister of Health and Mass Media) - Anil Jayantha Fernando
(Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning) - Patabendige Dhammika
(Minister of Environment) - Susil Ranasinghe
(Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply) - Hanif Yusuf
(Governor, Western Province) - Aruna Jayasekara
(Deputy Minister of Defence) - Dr. N.S. Kumanayake
(Secretary to the President) - Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma
(Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development) - H.S.S. Thuiyakontha
(Secretary, Ministry of Defence) - B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi
(Commissioner General of Essential Services and Secretary, Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure) - Dr. Hans Wijesuriya
(Senior Advisor to the President) - H.S.K.J. Bandara
(Director General of Government Information) - Rohana Hettiarachchi
- Marlamathi Gangadaran
- President’s Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma
- Samantha de Silva
- Mandana Ismail
- Parakrama Dissanayake
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