Govt. considering upgrading all Pradeshiya Sabhas to Urban Councils

The government is said to be considering the possibility of upgrading all Pradeshiya Sabhas to Urban Councils while granting more powers to address grassroot level issues.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe during the Cabinet meeting has instructed the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Dinesh Gunawardena to consider the possibility of establishing an urban council system replacing Pradeshiya Sabhas, according to Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister of Transport and Highways and Minister of Mass Media Bandula Gunawardana.

He noted that under such a system, Urban Councils would be vested with more powers to address grassroot level matters efficiently. 
Pradeshiya Sabhas are rural local authorities constituted in each Provincial Council under the Pradeshiya Sabha Act No. 15 of 1987.

Meanwhile, Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal to upgrade the Urban Councils of Ampara and Mannar to Municipal Councils in order to undertake required development activities as those two are considered to be major cities in the Eastern and Northern Provinces respectively. 
Minister Gunawardana remarked that those two Urban Councils would be converted to Municipal Councils without resorting to additional allocations while utilising the existing infrastructure facilities, office facilities and human resources.