The powers to implement rural development affairs have been assigned to the Provincial Council by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, and operatioon and supervision of community organizations in the Western Province according to the Rural Development Statute No. 02 of 2013 is a special responsibility assigned to the Rural Development Section.
Accordingly, it is the expectation of this ministry to create the economic, social, health, educational, moral and cultural improvement of people living in the Western Province. The vision of the Rural Development Department is to empower Rural Development Societies, Women’s Rural Development Societies and other community-based organizations to work on the basis of self-reliance to achieve these targets.
At present, there are 29 Rural Development Officers in the Western Province and 05 Development Officers are engaged in inspecting the work and the rural development activities are being carried out covering all the 40 Divisional Secretariats. Currently, there are around 1281 active Rural Development Societies and 23 Regional Boards of Authority have been established. Recruitment for 03 approved District Rural Development Officer posts and 11 vacant Rural Development Officer posts will be carried out within this year.
Currently there are 28 Sewing Instructors and Rural Women’s Training Centers are operating in 29 Divisional Secretariat areas. Under this course, sewing, knitting, handicrafts, home management and beauty-culture training are provided. Recruitment for the remaining vacant Sewing Instructor posts will be carried out within this year
The syllabus which was limited to one course in Rural Women’s Training Centers has been modified having revised them separately into 05 courses thus providing opportunity to trainees to select courses according to their needs and wishes.
Under development of identified underdeveloped infrastructure facility development of Western Province; rural road development projects, low-income housing projects, community water projects, community hall construction projects and projects to provide equipment to empower community-based organizations, will be implemented.