Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday invited the Tamil National Alliance to accept ministerial portfolios and join the government to make a more effective contribution towards developing Jaffna.
The minister was speaking to the media after inspecting the progress of construction work at the new Jaffna bus stand.
Speaking in the presence of MP M.A.Sumanthiran and Northern Governor Suren Raghavan, Ranawaka said Sumanthiran and other TNA MPs had helped the government to protect democracy and likewise they should accept ministerial portfolios to better serve the people and the areas they represent.
Minister Ranawaka recalled that the late Thiruchelvam was the last minister to come from Jaffna in 1968 and since then 50 years has passed and no government minister had represented the area. The minister said Jaffna will be developed as a strategic city and the government has already acquired funds for the development from foreign sources.
The government has so far identified Kandy,Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Galle and Anuradhapura to be developed as strategic cities along with Jaffna he added.
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