A 19-member Presidential Task Force was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Resettlement, Development and Security in the Northern Province. It is mandated to prepare strategic plans, programs and projects to resettle internally displaced persons, rehabilitate and develop economic and social infrastructure of the Northern Province.

Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa MP has been appointed Chairman of the Task Force with Essential Services Commissioner General S.B.Divarathne as Secretary.

The Presidential directive of May 07, 2009 appointing the Task Force requires it to report to the President on the completion of the mandate within one year.

The other activities commissioned to the Task Force are;

• To coordinate activities of the security agencies of the Government in support of resettlement, rehabilitation and development.

• To direct and oversee the implementation of the said plans, programs and projects of the relevant state organizations including the relevant provincial authorities.

• To liaise with all organizations in the public and private sectors and civil society organizations for the proper implementation of programs and projects.

• To seek, identify and apply innovative solutions to problems and constraints confronted in the execution of the mandate of the Task Force.

• To regularly review the progress of the implementation of the said programs and projects and to take immediate corrective actions where necessary

“The highest tribute that can be paid to the war heroes is to provide the IDPs with basic facilities, to resettle them in their original native places and to restore their livelihoods. Already Security Forces have taken steps to provide security to cleared areas and the Government led by the President has drawn its attention to the security of the people, security of the North and of the country” said the Chairman of the Task Force Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, at the first meeting of the Task Force held yesterday.

He further said the President had sent a directive yesterday to all Secretaries of Ministries to make arrangements to resettle IDPs in their original homes and to restore their lost livelihoods. In the aftermath of the conflict in the East the Government successfully resettled IDPs. In the near future, IDPs in the North too will be resettled, pledged Basil Rajapaksa MP.

Other members of the Task Force are, Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunge, Secretary, Defence, Public Security Law and Order, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning, Sumith Abeysinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services, U L M Haldeen, Secretary, Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, W.K.K.Kumarasiri, Secretary, Ministry of Highways and Road Development, S.Amarasekera, Secretary, Ministry of Power and Energy, M M C Ferdinando, Secretary Ministry of Land and Land Development, J R W Dissanayake, Secretary, Ministry of Health Care and Nutrition, Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal G D Perera, Commander of the Army Lt.Gen.Sarath Fonseka, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshall, W D R M J Gunatillake, Inspector General of Police, Jayantha Wickremarathne, Director General\Department of Civil Defence, Rear Admiral S P Weerasekera, Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army\Competent Authority for the Northern Province Maj.Gen.G A Chandrasiri, Former Director General\National Planning Dept. B.Abeygunewardena .