Structure of Local Government Institutions in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is governed at the national, provincial and local levels by the Council of Ministers headed by the Executive President, Parliament, Provincial Councils and Local Governments respectively.

Pradeshiya Sabha Methodology

The limits of the local government bodies, the number of councilors to be elected by popular vote and the effective date are announced by the line ministry through a gazette notification. Members are appointed by popular vote. One of the members is appointed as chairman and another as vice-chairman.

Local authorities Legal framework

The Pradeshiya Shaba Act No. 15 of 1987 established the Pradeshiya Shaba as a local government/local government with the objectives of providing more opportunities for the people to participate effectively at the provincial level in the decision-making process related to the administration and development of a specific urban or rural area. and local authority is a legal person with independent existence. Local government is not a foreign form of government to Sri Lankans. It is a heritage common to South Asia itself. Village-oriented governance structures such as panchayats and mandalas existed in South Asian countries such as India and Nepal. By 2022, there will be 341 local government bodies in Sri Lanka and they are organized under three categories. Namely, municipalities, city councils and local councils.
According to the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, the subject of local government and its functions fall under the Provincial Council.

All the functions, responsibilities and powers assigned to the Pradeshiya Shaba are as described in Section 3 of the Local Councils Act No. 15 of 1987.

  • Public health
  • Public utility services
  • Public roads

Pradeshiya Shaba has the ability to implement and spend by identifying the assigned subject areas and working under the provisions given in section 132 of the said Act. They span many fields.

  • Public administration
  • Public health services
  • Physical planning, roads, land and buildings
  • Water services
  • Public utility services
  • Welfare services facilities

To carry out these administrative and developmental activities

  • Council funds
  • Provincial council funds
  • Provisions of Central Govt
  • Loan from Local Credit Development
  • Fund Under the aid and grants received from non-governmental organizations.

Here, each Pradesiya Shaba has the ability to exercise its powers in the subject areas through the decisions of the Maha Shaba as it deems appropriate.

Legal forms to be applied in operating within the local council structure

  • Local Councils Act No. 15 of 1987
  • Ordinances made under other powers vested in the Council and the Chairman
  • Bylaws
  • Standard Bylaws
  • The Finance and Administration Rules, 1988 enacted by the Minister
  • Rules of conduct of meetings
  • Provincial Council Statutes

According to the sections 122 and 126 of the Act, according to the needs of the area, it is a unique opportunity that the local council has got the power to make laws in a very wide area such as income generation and capital investment.

Statutory Programs and Functions


Program No. 01 – Public administration

Under this project, all necessary steps will be taken to create a common administration of the services provided under the powers assigned by the local councils act.

  1. Providing services and providing information to the Council and members in making policy decisions related to the Council and public administration
  2. Carrying out all activities related to the management of the staff
  3. Acting as a common unit that integrates all other sectors
  4. Maintenance and control of the council’s files and other documents to be secured
  5. Protection of all properties belonging to the congregation
  6. Implementation and regularization of all other administrative and executive activities

Financial affairs

All the necessary steps in streamlining and atomizing the control of the financial affairs of the council will be implemented under this project and the following tasks can be cited as the main ones.

  1. Control of common fund created under Local Councils Act.
  2. Preparation and control of revenue policies and systematic financial plans.
  3. Preparation and implementation of the annual budget.
  4. Preparation of information and reports necessary for making management decisions.
  5. Accounting of the transactions of the council in a systematic manner and preparation of annual accounts reports.
  6. To purchase and issue stock items required for the services of the congregation and maintain necessary records thereof.
  7. Controlling and streamlining the revenue collection process.

Assessments and revenue collection.
This project will make all the necessary arrangements for the efficient collection of all taxes and other revenues that can be collected according to the powers assigned to the local councils act. Mainly, the local councils will receive income from assessments, rents, fees for license services, various fines, etc. The main subjects covered under this are the efficient collection of fees.

  1. Imposition of annual fixed revenue and its efficient collection.
  2. Recommend important financial means of increasing the income of the council.
  3. To record all the details of income and maintain documents.
  4. Reporting to management on revenue collection.

Internal Audit
This is the method of checking whether the responsibilities and powers assigned by the law for the people of the region are being carried out correctly and transparently, checking the income and expenditure accounts for good financial management and all other related programs and all the activities related to the protection of property.

Training
Capacity building is carried out by training the officers of the council in all subjects related to the field of local government and conducting leadership and personality development training and providing necessary training for the public representatives of the council. Training is done through internal training as well as field training and external corporate training.

Officers who are referred for training from external institutions exchange experience with the officers of the institution and carry out training activities

Program No. 02 – Health services

This program is implemented with the aim of providing a healthy life to the people of the region by streamlining, administering and controlling all activities related to the welfare of the people.

Health Administration
In relation to the health of the public in the area, the health authority assigned as the health authority will deal with the public health and in this case, through the office of the medical officer of health, the public health inspectors will be implemented by delegating the judicial authority assigned to the local government.

Disease prevention services
All measures that can be implemented in the jurisdiction are taken to prevent diseases. The causes of disease are removed and special attention is paid to prevent diseases that affect the entire society like dengue.

Food hygiene
It will be checked whether the food items kept for sale in the area are given to the public in a safe manner and the business establishments will be monitored and classified to provide better service.

Maternal and Child Health
The aim of this project is to develop and protect maternal and child health. According to it, currently the following activities are primarily done jointly with the Office of the Medical Officer of Health.

  1. Providing necessary advice in the development of maternal and child health
  2. Administering vaccinations and medications
  3. Family organization activities
  4. Conducting nutrition programs for pregnant and lactating mothers

Solid waste management activities
In order to keep the jurisdiction clean, the main function of this is to dispose of the solid waste collected in the area, that is, solid waste management.

Program No. 03 – Physical planning roads and land buildings

The implementation of this program is expected to improve the quality of life of the people through planned development of the jurisdiction. Under this. Approval of building plans, issuance of route certificates, approval of blueprints, issuance of compliance certificates and legalization of road buildings and essential construction activities in the area are expected.

City development
It is expected to develop the main towns of Galigamuwa, Kotiakumbura and Dewalegama which belong to the Galigamuwa regional jurisdiction.

Road
Regular maintenance and development of all road drains, bridges and culverts belonging to the council.

Land and buildings
Development, maintenance and control of all lands and buildings owned by the council.

Program No. 04 – Water services

A project to provide water at subsidized rates to the poor people of the jurisdiction is being implemented under this.

Program No. 05 – Public utility services

The purpose of this is to maintain and regularize public utility services in the jurisdiction.

Implementation of Satipola
To assist in fulfilling the consumption needs of the people of the jurisdiction and to facilitate the sale of the products of the rural producers, to maintain weekly markets.

Street lighting works
It is aimed to maintain the street lighting in the Galigamuwa Regional Council area in a formal and orderly manner.

Crematorium Services

We have built a crematorium with facilities to provide crematorium service, which is a special public need of the people of the area, and by maintaining it at an optimal level, it is our sole aim to provide a source of income to the local council as well as to facilitate a respectful farewell to the people on their sad occasion.

Program No. 06 – Welfare services

Under the welfare services of the local people, it is aimed to run libraries and reading rooms, conduct sports and festivals, run community centers and run nursery schools.

Libraries
It is expected to increase the reading appetite of the local people and to provide the necessary facilities for the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Sports activities
Making the necessary arrangements to improve the sports skills of the local people and the staff and public representatives of the local council.

Ayurvedic services
To improve the health status of the people in the area by using the drugs provided by the local Ayurveda department and the drugs purchased from the council fund.

Preschool
Activities on early childhood development are expected under this.

Maternal and Child Health
The aim of this project is to promote and protect maternal and child health.
According to the A, the following activities are currently being performed primarily.

  1. Providing necessary advice in the development of maternal and child health
  2. Injections and administration of drugs
  3. Triphosha tragedy
  4. Family Organization Activities
  5. Conducting nutrition programs for pregnant and lactating mothers