The Ministry of Nation Building has been established on the basic principle of building a new Sri Lanka through the development of the village in keeping with the ‘Mahinda Chintaya ‘or President Mahinda’s vision.

The vehicle for these development activities is firstly Gama Neguma Programme and secondly the Maga Neguma Programme. These would be implemented in all Grama Sevaka Divisions in the island in three phases in 2008, 2009, and 2010.For this purpose the island has been divided into 6 zones and each placed under a minister in charge, with a Secretary and staff to assist him.

It is the desire of the Ministry to find lasting solutions to the problems people face in their rural areas however complicating the tasks may be.

The Ministry has also allocated funds for the implementation of the people oriented programmes. It has allocated funds for the following projects coming under its surveillance. Gama Neguma, Foreign aided special Projects, Estate Sector-Infra structure, Up Country Development Authority, Decentralized Budget, and other projects.

In addition the ministry would support such projects as Maga Neguma –Road development, 10,000 Tank project, Dairy farming villages, Medicinal herbs projects, Rural industries, 1000 industrial village project and community water projects, and health and  sanitation –Self supporting livelihood programmes, and vocational training programmes.

The Gama Neguma programme would also effect its programmes under three broad heads, Infra structure Development, Livelihood Development, and Spiritual Development. Programmes would be implemented on a priority basis.

Year 2008 would be a landmark in development work in the village as it’s the objective of the government to develop as many grama sevaka divisions as possible to revive economic activities in the villages, through   the Gemi Diriya and the Gama Neguma pioneering projects. Hambantota, Moneragala, Ratnapura, and Badulla districts will operate such activities in selected provincial Council divisions amounting to a total of 365 divisions. The Southern Development Authority will develop 100 divisions in addition to the 47 done in 2007. The Upcountry Development Authority would take up 100 more in addition to the 68 developed in2007, the Samurdhi Authority would pick 3 divisions from each Samurdhi Zone to make up 3000 divisions, and the National Housing Authority in addition would take up the development work in 25 more. grama sevaka divisions .   

Development work in the North and East also receives top priority on the planned programmes for the coming year. The North East Community Development Revitalising Project (NECORD) would develop 25  Divisions,  and the Tsunami Affected Area Rebuilding Project (TAARP)  would develop 331 Divisions, and the North East Coastal Development Project (NECDEP), will have under it 130 Divisions, and the Yali Pubudumu, (Reawakening ) programme would develop under it 300 Divisions, selected by them. During the implementation of the programmes there’ll be close monitoring of the programmes in the interest of the communities being served.

Those problems that cannot be solved at District level will be directed to Zone Offices, or to Ministry .Village level projects would receive the attention of the Provincial Council Provincial Secretarial projects the Provincial Secretary and progress of the District monitored by the District Secretary. Thus at all levels there’ll be close monitoring of functions and funds.  

As most of the projects proposed under Gama Neguma programmes also come under the purview of the Provincial Councils the Government intends soliciting the support of the Provincial Councils in all their endevours. Therefore the government believes in as far as possible to entrust a project to the institution it normally deals with. Whether it be a project of the Samurdhi authority, Southern Development Authority, Gemi Diriya Foundation, or UpCountry Development Authority the relevant local body or provincial council should implement the proposal. If on the other hand it acts differently the concerned institution should receive the approval of the Council concerned. This is particularly so because the Ministry has to be satisfied that every completed project is maintained by the institution concerned.    
 
The Ministry has already undertaken several development programmes in the South and East and the longest bridge is to be built in the East advancing communication facilities.
Many more programmes are bound to follow.

The Ministry of Nation Building has informed all Provincial Secretaries and Divisional
Secretaries that the Gama Neguma Programmes for the year 2008 should take off the ground in every Grama sevaka Division on the 14th, 15th, and 16th, of March and this requires the initiation of at least one project every month. The National programme will be launched by the Zonal Ministers concerned with the participation of ministers Members of Parliament of the area, and Provincial Councillors and other officers.

This is the first time since Sri Lanka gained independence that village development programmes have been undertaken on such a an extensive scale. The government expects
Organizers or programmes to give due publicity and enlighten the public on the importance and value of the Gama Neguma projects that help in overall development of the village.   

Ministry of Nation Building is indebted to Basil Rajapaksa (M.P.) and Zonal Ministers of the Ministry for the successful implementation of this programme built on the vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa