New Villages Development Authority for Plantation Region

There was a need to establish an Authority affiliated to the Ministry with the objective of implementing  the  “New village concept”  which  was  one  of the main objectives  of the Ministry established especially for the plantation community.

Accordingly, the Act No. 32 of 2018 relating to the establishment of the “New Villages Development Authority for the Plantation Region” was passed in the Parliament on 25.06.2018.

 

Vision of the Authority

Transform the plantation community on par with the status of other communities.

 

Mission of the Authority

Established new  villages in  the  plantations  with  sufficient  infrastructure  and  common amenities to equally obtain the development and prosperity enjoyed by other communities.

 

Objectives of the Authority

  1.  Ensure inclusion of the plantation community in the designated areas into the social mainstream by socio, economic, cultural and infrastructure development in the plantation region.
  2.  Empower the plantation community in the designated areas socially and economically in order to enable them to contribute to the national development proc

 

Functions of the Authority

  1.  Implement plans, programs and projects of the Government for the development of new villages in the plantation region.
  2. Coordinate with other national, provincial and district level implementing agencies in the plantation region in working towards the achievement of the objects of the Authority.

14 Performance Report – 2019

  1.  Ensure participation of community-based organizations in the plantation region in the formulation and implementation of plans, programs and projects of the Government for the development of new villages.
  2. Facilitate the issuance of the title deeds for the legal occupants of the houses in the estates within the plantation region to grant them ownership of such houses.
  3. Provide assistance to the youth in the estate sector in the plantation region to enter the tertiary and higher educational institutions for their educational development.
  4. Work with Provincial Council Ministries and other regional level offices of the Government Ministries to facilitate the provision of essential services to the communities in the plantation region.
  5. Promote alternative livelihood opportunities and provide necessary guidance and inputs in respect thereof to the Estate communities in the plantation region.
  6.  Empower the different community groups in the estate sector including women, children, elders and differently-abled people to uplift their livelihood.
  7. Ensure that descendants of legal occupants of the houses in Estate are provided with all facilities that are enjoyed by such legal occupants in Estates in the plantation region.
  8. Strengthen conservation measures at all levels, both preventive and remedial, aimed at minimizing physical degeneration of land and water resources and eliminating environmental pollution in the plantation region.
  9. Identify hazardous sites, in consultation with the National Building Research Organization and the National Disaster Management Centre, in the designated areas and convert them into alternative productive use, thereby protecting them from illegal occupation for residential purposes.
  10. Promote the provision of adequate social services and adequate sustainable infrastructure facilities in the plantation region.

 

Administration of the Authority

The affairs of the ‘New Villages Development Authority for the plantation regions shall be administrated  by seven ex-officio members.

  1. An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Estate Infrastructure Development is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry
  2. An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Finance is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry.
  3. An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Plantation Industries is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry
  4.  An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Public Enterprise Development is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry.
  5. An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Provincial councils and Local Government is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry.
  6. An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Housing and Construction is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry.
  7. An officer of the Ministry where the subject of Land is assigned and nominated by the Secretary to the Ministry.

 

In addition, six members  shall be appointed by the Minister assigned the subject of Estate Infrastructure Development, from among persons possessing expertise in the fields of infrastructure development, community development, finance and provincial administration. One of these members shall be appointed from the Plantation Association of Ceylon to represent the plantation companies. Chairman and Vice – Chairman of the Authority shall be appointed by the Minister from among the appointed members.

Director General who shall be the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority will be appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Board. The Director General shall be charged with the Performance   Report  –  2019 15 administration  of the  affairs  of the  Authority  including  the administration and control of the staff, execution of all the decisions of the Board, carry out all such functions as may be assigned to him by the Board and function as the Secretary to the Board and also as the Chief Accounting Officer of the Authority. This Authority started its operational activities from

7th February 2019  and the  Board of Management   was  duly appointed.  Board  of Management meetings were held every month from February 2019 until November 2019. On the recommendation of the Board of Management, the Hon. Minister appointed a Director- General to the Authority from

01.03.2019 in terms of the Act. The approval has been obtained from the Department of Management Services and the Salary and Cadre Commission to create 28 cadre positions under 14 categories for the staff of the Authority. However, apart from appointing the Director-General, no recruitment was made during 2019 since the approval was not granted to the Scheme of Recruitment and suspension the requirement due to Presidential Election.

Approved and Actual Cadre of the Authority as at 31.12.2019