Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-06-27

Obtaining the contribution of Local Government Institutions for minimizing disaster risk and making disaster response

- The disaster management policy has recognized that the local government institutions has a significant role to play in the minimization of the risk of facing disaster situations. The approval of the local government institutions has to be obtained for all development activity planning and the National Disaster Management Policy has made provision to enact by-laws to enable the inclusion of methods for the minimization of disaster risk in the development projects implemented within their local government area of authority. As such, when preparing development plans in the disaster prone areas and carrying out constructions, following the guidelines on the specifications of buildings is really important.

Since, the Provincial Councils are vested with the authority of governing and monitoring the local government institutions, the proposal made by Hon. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, the Minister of Disaster Management, to assist the Chief Ministers of Provincial Councils in the Development of a disaster management plan in respect of their areas of authority in accordance with the guidelines provided for in the Disaster Management Act., and to get the support of the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government related to coordination, was approved by the Cabinet.