15 Northern Province divisional secretariats recognised for service excellence

A total of 15 Divisional Secretariats in the Northern Province have been recognised for their outstanding performance in handling applications under the President's Fund following the decentralisation of its services to the Divisional Secretariat level.

The decentralisation drive was implemented to eliminate bureaucratic delays and enable citizens residing outside the Western Province to access critical medical and educational relief grants without needing to travel to Colombo.

Officials noted that the Northern Province secretariats achieved high processing rates and met stringent transparency criteria in evaluating applications, setting a benchmark for administrative efficiency in public welfare delivery.

Special commendations and certificates were presented to the administrative heads of the respective secretariats to acknowledge their contributions to public service and community support.