Divisions

Legal Division could be introduces as one of the main areas within the scope of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government. Legal Division of the Ministry plays the key role in formulating legislation related to Local Governance as for today. The performance summary of Legal Division is undermentioned.

  • Last year, this division involved in calling proposals to amend Municipal Councils Ordinance, Urban Councils Ordinance and Pradeshiya Sabha Act, preparing reports by appointing committees consists of appropriate and required members.
  • Further, Legal Division is presently taking preliminary measures in formulating and giving legal certification for the laws related to empowering women representation within the Local Authorities and Provincial Councils. Legal Division has taken measures to get adopted the relevant legislation at the Parliament to increase the female representation in Local Authorities, submit the necessary bill to the Cabinet of Ministers to adopt a parliamentary Act certifying female representation within Provincial Councils, organize workshops on Women Empowerment in Politics jointly with the Sri Lanka Institute for Local Governance and initiated the inaugurating workshop from North Western Province in 2016 as initiatives to increase female representation in Local Authorities.
  • This division played a key role in enactment of laws related to prevention of difficulties faced by general public due to stray dogs that is a law relevant to public health and environment. This division formulated a mechanism and appointed a regulatory committee in this regard.
  • Quality local governance is a key function of this Ministry. Under this, legal Division compiled a code of conduct for the Members of Provincial Councils in 2016. Its English and Tamil translations have been completed by now and it would be referred to each provincial council after getting the approval of the cabinet of Ministers.
  • Further, legal division is taking measures to make a special amendment to the Pradeshiya Sabha Act in order to provide welfare for the estate workers. The draft amendment has been referred to the Department of Legal Draftsman for the certification of legal draftsman
  • Not receiving the court fines and stamp duty on transfer of lands to be levied to the Local Authorities is a long term problem faced by Local Authorities. Accordingly, this division submitted a Cabinet Memorandum in order to make laws to levy court fines and stamp duties to Local Authorities Immediately.
  • The active participation of this division in recognition of appropriate criteria for the Constitution of Local Authorities and taking measures to introduce a more transparent and systematic way for constitution and upgradation of Local Authorities in 2016 was of much importance.
  • This Ministry has observed that Urban Councils and Municipal Councils are not constituted systematically due to the absence of a methodology or policy regarding constitution of Local Authorities. Therefore, Hon. Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government appointed a committee of expertise persons on 25.05.2016 in order to decide national criteria to constitute new Local Authorities and upgrade present Local Authorities.

Scope of the Committee

  • To formulate a set of criteria in consideration of population, population density, Economic development level, income generation, administrative limits with geographical differences of administrative areas.
  • To obtain views of general public, people’s representatives and other governmental and non - governmental organizations to create new Local Authorities upgrade existing Local Authorities.

That committee had number of meetings and paid its consideration to views received as per the newspaper advertisements published to obtain public views on the criteria to be considered and the matters included in the Presidential Investigation Commission report on Local Governance of 1999 and the following criteria was taken into consideration.

  • Population and population density (for an area or 1km2 or less)
  • Number of houses and their density
  • Improvement of services and infrastructure (Water, roads, electricity, telephone, schools, hospitals and other government services)
  • Number of available commercial buildings
  • Percentage of population engaged in non-agricultural economic affairs.
  • Economic structure and the division of resources in the area
  • Regional importance (Historical / economic or other)
  • Revenue division of the

A marking scheme and a weighting method was prepared to measure said criteria and necessary information is based on the statistics of the Department of Census and Statistics. This criteria base was prepared by 31/12/201 and Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government has taken a policy decision to constitute Local Authorities based on said criteria..

Provincial Councils Statute

Draft Report of National Committee of Delimitation of wards of Local Authorities - 2022

Draft Report of National Committee of Delimitation of wards of Local Authorities - 2022

Gazette Notification No. 2262/08 dated 10/01/2022 published based on the Extension of tenure of Local Government Institutions

Gazette Notification No. 2262/08 dated 10/01/2022 published based on the Extension of tenure of Local Government Institutions

Drafts on rules/regulations with regard to passing of the budget of the local authorities

Drafts on rules/regulations with regard to passing of the budget of the local authorities

Local government notifications

Local government notifications

Laws Enacted Recently

Laws Enacted Recently

Proposed Amendments to the Governing Legislation

Proposed Amendments to the Governing Legislation

Municipal Councils Ordinance (Chapter 252)

Urban Councils Ordinance (Chapter 255)

Pradeshiya Sabha Act, No. 15 of 1987

Proposed Amendments to the Model By-Laws

Proposed Amendments to the Model By-Laws

Model Standard by-Laws for Urban Councils

Model Standard by-Laws for Pradeshiya Sabhas

 

Invitation for Proposals for Amending Governing Legislation of Local Authorities

Invitation for Proposals for Amending Governing Legislation of Local Authorities

Paper advertisement

Calling Suggestions for “Identification of Criteria on Constitution of Local Authorities In Sri Lanka”

Calling Suggestions for “Identification of Criteria on Constitution of Local Authorities In Sri Lanka”

Paper advertisement

The Committee for Reviewing Governing Legislation of Local Government for Legal Reforms has finalized the public hearing. They expect to submit the final report by 31st August 2016.
Related Photos

A Cabinet Sub Committee has been appointed to examine the Local Authorities Elections Amendment Bill. The first meeting of the committee held on 01/08/2016. The committee decided to appoint a working group to consider the issues raised by political parties and general public related to the new electoral system.
Related Photos

By-Laws Related to Solid Waste

By-Laws Related to Solid Waste

Municipal Council

Urban Council

Pradeshiya Sabha

Gazette Notification of the Order of Establishing Polonnaruwa Municipal Council and Polonnaruwa Pradeshiya Sabha

Gazette Notification of the Order of Establishing Polonnaruwa Municipal Council and Polonnaruwa Pradeshiya Sabha

Drafted Act of Registration of Dogs

Drafted Act of Registration of Dogs

Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) ACT, No. 16 OF 2017

Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) ACT, No. 16 OF 2017

Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) ACT, No. 17 OF 2017

Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) ACT, No. 17 OF 2017

Orders under PRADESHIYA SABHAS ACT, No. 15 OF 1987, CHAPTER 255 of URBAN COUNCILS ORDINANCE and CHAPTER 252 of MUNICIPAL COUNCILS ORDINANCE - Extraordinary Gazette No. 2043/56 - (THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2017)

(No. of members for each LA)

Orders under PRADESHIYA SABHAS ACT, No. 15 OF 1987 - Extraordinary Gazette No. 2043/57 - (THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 02, 2017) –

(New Local Authorities for Nuwara Eliya and Ambagamuwa)

Order to amend the date of commencement the office terms of Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas – Extraordinary Gazette No. 2061/4 – (MONDAY, MARCH 05, 2018)

Launching of Guide Book-2018/June/22 - Photos

Launching of Guide Book-2018/June/22 - Photos

Oversight Committee Meet-2018/June/22 - Photos

Oversight Committee Meet-2018/June/22 - Photos

Code of Conduct for Members of Provincial Council - Sinhala

Code of Conduct for Members of Provincial Council - Sinhala

මහජන සේවය සඳහා කැපවූ මහජන නියෝජිතයෙකුගෙන් අපේක්ෂිත මෙහෙවර ඒ ආකාරයෙන්ම ඔවුන් වෙත ලගා කර දීමේ අරමුණින් මෙම අමාත්‍යාංශය විසින් පළාත් සභා මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් වෙනුවෙන් පළාත් සභාවන්ගේද එකගතාවය අනුව සකස් කරන ලද ආචාර ධර්ම පද්ධතියට පසුගියදා අමාත්‍ය මණ්ඩලයේ අනුමැතිය ලැබී ඇත.

එකී ආචාර ධර්ම පද්ධතිය සඳහා වයඹ පළාත් සභාව හැර අනෙකුත් පළාත් සභා අටක එකගතාවය හිමිවී ඇති අතර, ඒ අනුව එම පළාත් සභාවල ඉදිරියේදී එකී ආචාර ධර්ම පද්ධතිය ක්‍රියාත්මක වනු ඇත. මෙරට පාලන තන්ත්‍රයේ දෙවන ස්ථරය ලෙස සැලකෙන පළාත් සභා වල මන්ත්‍රීවරයෙකුගෙන් සිදුවිය යුතු මහජන සේවය යථා පරිදි ඉටු කිරීම සඳහා ඔවුන්ට මග පෙන්වනු ලබන මූලික ආචාර ධර්ම සමූහයකින් මෙම ආචාර ධර්ම පද්ධතිය පෝෂණය වී ඇත.

Regularization and expedition the receipt of Stamp Duty charged on court fines and disposition of lands to the local authorities

Regularization and expedition the receipt of Stamp Duty charged on court fines and disposition of lands to the local authorities

The provisions for payment the income to be received to the local authorities from the Stamp Duty for the certified deeds for disposition of lands and the court fines in the jurisdiction of the local authorities to the funds of such institutions have been included in Municipal Councils Ordinance, Urban Councils Ordinance and Pradeshiya Sabha Act.

However, in terms of 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the income such as the court fines and Stamp Duty on disposition of lands which are statutorily entitled to the local authorities have been indicated as a subject assigned to the provincial councils.

Those court fines and Stamp Duty on disposition of lands are key source of income of the local authorities and the Provincial Councils (Amended) draft bill on which the necessary laws have been drafted in order to avoid the difficulties faced by such institutions due to the above reason has been submitted to the Secretary to the President for forwarding to obtain the opinions of the provincial councils by His Excellency, the president in terms of Article 154G of the Constitution subsequent to publication in the Government Gazette. Such draft bill in trilingual has been indicated below.

Necessity for regularization and expedition the receipt of Stamp Duty charged on disposition of lands and the court fines to the local authorities

Programme of Second National Action Plan of the Open Government Partnership (ORG) 2018/2020 , Commitment 08: Strengthen Committe system in pradeshiya Sabhas with Citizen Engagement

Programme of Second National Action Plan of the Open Government Partnership (ORG) 2018/2020 , Commitment 08: Strengthen Committe system in pradeshiya Sabhas with Citizen Engagement

1st Worshop

Date   -  08th April 2019
Venue  - Ishara Reception Hall - Homagama
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 2nd Workshop

Date  - 07th June 2019
Venue - Winro Reception Hall in Kannanthuduwa , Millaniya
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 3rd Workshop

Date  -  9th July 2019
Venue  -  Madurawala Pradeshiya Sabha Reception Hall, Madurawala
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 4th Workshop

Date  -  30th July 2019
Venue  -  Gampaha Pradeshiya Sabhawa, Gampaha
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Mapping And Assesment of provincial Counsil Statutes & Drafting of Model Statutes

Mapping And Assesment of provincial Counsil Statutes & Drafting of Model Statutes

 

 

 

Local Government Elections Ordinance

Local Government Elections Ordinance

 

 

internal auditRole of the Internal Auditing is to provide auditing assistance for the Chief Accounting Officer to regularly complete the development projects promptly utilizing the public resources efficiently, productively and economically. Assistance is given for the Chief Accounting Officer and Progress Review Committee to determine the progress of the development projects, plans and programmes assigned to this Ministry by 133(I) a (II) of financial regulations and handed over by the Department.

Accordingly, role of the internal auditing division of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government is to provide auditing assistance for the Chief Accounting Officer to regularly complete the development projects promptly utilizing the public resources efficiently, productively and economically.

 

 

Internal Circulars

 

Functions

Main function of the investigation unit is to regular assessments on how the grants allocated by the central government to provincial councils are utilized. For this activity, information such as central government donations, estimates made by provincial council and actual income and expenditure are used . Issues and variations identified through these investigations will be directed to the attention of provincial monitory management by which provincial councils are urged to achieve their financial goals.

An annual report is prepared on financial performance of the provincial councils, incorporating the income and expenditure information as well as information on staff and common facilities. These information are extremely useful when taking policy decisions on provincial authorities and provision of facilities for them

Activates Carried Out

  • Preparation of monthly and quarterly financial performance reports of 9 Provincial Councils using their reports on estimates, income and expenditure and staff information.
  • Collection of information on estimates, income and expenditure, staff and common facilities of 335 local authorities and preparation of annual financial performance report. Compiling of financial performance reports in district level in the order of income and expenditure of these authorities.
  • Providing of information to national organizations such as Central Bank, Statistics and Census Department and the Treasuries.
  • Taking actions regarding the overloading appeals of all local government authorities.
  • Quarterly review of audit quarry reports, bank comparison reports and advance account reports of provincial councils.
Organization Structure

Organization Structure

expenditure monitoring division org si

Timely publications of Investigation Division

Timely publications of Investigation Division

  • Monthly monitory performance report of Provincial Councils
  • Quarterly monitory performance report of Provincial Councils
  • Annual monitory performance report of Provincial Councils
  • Preparation of income and expenditure reports of Provincial Councils (on district basis)
Contact Details

Contact Details

Expenditure Monitoring Division
+94 112 337 131
expendituremonitoring[at]yahoo.com

Accountant 
+94 112 390 676

Head of the branch
+94 112 305 326 Ext: 255


Mission

Providing the financial contribution to achieve the vision and mission of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government, utilization of public finance with transparency using local and foreign funds with high productivity.

Achieved Target

  • To spend all money economically by utilizing finance allocated by the appropriation account and the finance allocated under the foreign projects for the reserved tasks and in case of a surplus of allocation it could be transferred to other necessary tasks and submit the final accounts (appropriation accounts) to the auditor general on time.
  • Provide the machinery to achieve the vision and mission of the ministry without delay and management the assets of the ministry properly.
  • Submit the financial statements of local and foreign funded projects to the treasury monthly, quarterly and annually and obtain the provisions on time.
  • Take action to provide the advance for the government servants' without any delay under the advance B account.
  • Implementation of transparent and effective procurement procedure when purchasing goods and equipment for the ministry and necessary machinery required for the development and providing infrastructure facilities for the local authorities.
  • Submit the replies to the audit quarries made by the Auditor general's department and the internal auditor without delay and take immediate action to rectify errors and appear to the Committee on Public Accounts when needed.
  • Release imprest for the various development activities and services activities executed within the local authorities on time.

 

Vision

Achieving rapid economic development of the country as well as a balanced provincial development and executing development programmes with the aim of infrastructure development for the benefit of the people living in the area , whilst minimising anomalies at local areas, extending the maximum contribution to achieve the overall objectives of the ministry through coordination and maintaining healthy relationships with allied institutions, effectively utilizing the annual grants for the training and development

Objective

Delivery of public services efficiently and effectively through utilisation of local funds for the development of infrastructure facilities enabling to provide the benefits to the communities who live in the jurisdictions of the local authorities and giving contribution to minimise the inter provincial  disparities through that.

Main Role of Development Division

  • Identification of the projects in order to increase the income in relation to strengthening  the local authorities with lower income and implementation those projects 
  • Incurring recurrent expenses for the maintenance and repairs of old buildings which become barriers in delivering the routine public services of the local authorities with lower income
  • Development of rural libraries belonging to the local authorities and conversion the existing libraries to e-libraries by using the information technology  
  • Implementation of the projects in order to obtain a higher benefit by accurately utilizing the provisions allocated for  the relevant task  as a budget proposal 
  • Preparation of project concept papers in relation to implementation of essential projects and submission them to the Department of National Planning for approval
  • Implementation, monitoring and progress review of the projects
  • Taking action with regard to the effective projects, complaints and grievances submitted by the Presidential Secretariat, other public institutions, volunteer organizations and general public 
  • Marinating a proper co-ordination with other divisions of the Ministry and external organizations
  • Submission of information inquired by the internal and government audits in relation to the projects implemented in previous years.
  • Completion of work of the projects which had not been completed in 2021
    • Providing required instructions and guidance for further  carrying out the incomplete projects  in the future
    • Inspection of bills and making payments
    • Taking action to settle the unsettled advances and release of retention of the project

 

Ongoing key development programs

  1. Local Authorities Strengthening Program  (Capital)
  2. Pradeshiya Sabha Strengthening program (Recurrent)
  3. Library Development Program 

 

Local Authorities Strengthening Program (Capital)

Allocation of funds to such local authorities for the development of essential infrastructure facilities in the jurisdiction of the local authorities enabling to fulfillment of the peoples’ requirements which change in line with the urbanization, promotion of self-generating income levels of the local authorities as well as enhancement of the quality and effectiveness of the public services delivered by such institutions.

 

Ongoing projects under this program

  • Construction of community water projects  
  • Development of market facilities
  • Development of infrastructure facilities in tourist attraction places 
  • Development of public toilet facilities
  • Construction of cemeteries
  • Development of restaurants and comfort centers

 Photographs

 

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Completion of remaining work of new boutique complex in Nawagaththegama Bus Stand

(Nawagaththegama P.S.- North West)

  

Construction of a Bus Stand in front of Kidney Hospital at 28th mile post

(Pollonaruwa Municipal Council- North Central Province)

 Pradeshiya Sabha Strengthening Program (Recurrent) 

Since common amenities prevailing in the jurisdictions of many local authorities are not properly maintained and renovated, taking necessary action to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the services delivered to the people by such local authorities through providing of funds relation to the maintenance and renovations of such facilities of Pradeshiya sabhas 

 

Ongoing projects under this program

  • Maintenance/ repairs of public toilets
  • Maintenance of drainage systems
  • Maintenance and renovations of public parks and children’s parks 
  • Formal maintenance of Aurvedic centers and Children’s and maternity clinics
  • Regularization of tourist attraction places
  • Vehicle repairs

Photographs

 

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Modernization of weekly fair at Lunuwila

Sirigampola Wenanapuwa P.S. – North West Province

   Renovation of Wagama preschool Rideegama P.S. – North West Province

 

Library Development Program 

Development of such libraries enabling to deliver more efficient, effective and qualitative service to the public through empowerment of the public libraries belonging to the local authorities by modern technical methods and systems and fulfillment of the essential facilities and resource shortages  

 

Ongoing projects under this program 

  • Creation of libraries through development of electronic facilities of the libraries belonging to the local authorities
  • Enhancement of the quality through modernization of books, shelves and buildings of the libraries of local authorities

 

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Construction of rural electronic library building close to Yoda Ela

Grama Niladhari Office ( Higurakkagoda P.S. _ North Central Province)

   Construction of electronic library building in Weheragala town

(Dibulagala P.S. – North Central Province)

 

Pradeshiya Sabha Infrastructure Development Program implemented in 2021 (Budget Proposals -36)

Implementation of development projects like “Dialogue with Village” and implementation of the proposals such as small irrigation projects, agricultural roads, sanitary facilities agricultural facilities in estates and remote areas and development of weekly fair and cemeteries 

 

Ongoing projects under this program

  • Development of weekly fair and market facilities 
  • Development of cemeteries
  • Development of small cities
  • Development of Agricultural roads 
  • Implementation of income generation projects
  • Development of public health, sanitation and educational facilities 
  • Development of common amenities and recreation activities 

Photographs

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Construction of Opanayake Hela Bojun Hala and construction of toilet system (Weligepola P.S. – Sabaragamuwa Province )

   Fixing of new equipment in Chamal Rajapakshapura Children’s park having removed dilapidated equipment

 

  1. Administration Division