Workshop for NE planning officials begins in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 04 June 2003, 00:25 GMT]
A three-day workshop for the northeast planning staff to develop their skills in management and planning began on Tuesday at provincial guesthouse at Uppuveli in the outskirts of Trincomalee town, officials in the NorthEast Provincial Council (NEPC) said.

NEPC Chief Secretary Mr.S.Rangarajah delivering keynote address.

The North East Provincial Planning Secretariat is conducting the workshop sponsored by the World Bank funded North East Emergency Reconstruction Programme (NEERP) and the Ministry of Planning and Implementation of the central government.

Fifty officials in the grade of Deputy Directors and Assistant Directors from divisions and districts of northeast province, provincial planning secretariat, NEP ministries, Ministry of rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Ministry of Eastern Development and Muslim Religious Affairs and Ministry of Assisting Vanni Rehabilitation are participating in the workshop, NEPC sources said.

The Deputy Chief Secretary for planning Mr.V.S.Swaminthan who is in charge of the workshop delivered the welcome address.

The Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Policy Development and Implementation Mr.S.Rahubadda, President of the Sri Lanka Evaluation Association and the Assistant Resident Representative of the UNDP Dr.Asoka Kasthuriarachchi attended the first day inaugural event.

NEPC Chief Secretary Mr.S.Rangarajah in his keynote address said that the northeast has a management system sans leadership. This was due to the two decade old war. There is a dearth of managerial leadership in the Northeast administration, he added.

Additional Secretary to the Ministry for Policy Implementation Mr.S.Rahubadda said that planning is for the people. Therefore people's wish should be given due importance when planning takes place.

Provincial Education Ministry Mr.R.Thiagalingam said one of the vital aspects for the management is planning. The government formulates several scheme to make the country self sufficient in rice. However the government fails in its attempt.

The organizers said that the objectives of the workshop are:

1. To impart knowledge and understanding of the concepts on overall policy development and implementation.
2. To familiarize with the strategies used in development planning.
3. To enhance skills in the use of appropriate planning tools.
4. To improve their knowledge in situational analysis and skills in logical framework approach to planning.
5. To develop skills in the preparation of project proposal.
6. To understand on information technology.

A section of provincial planning officials attending the workshop.