The Government has reportedly revised its previous decision to abolish the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA) following a joint cabinet paper submitted by Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Dinesh Gunawardena and Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga.
Speaking to the media yesterday (21), Ranatunga said that a decision has been made by the Cabinet of Ministers to resume the functions of the USDA in order to carry on its performance to meet with its fundamental objectives. It is reported that the decision has been taken under the condition that the USDA must function only within the framework of its primary objectives.
Earlier, it was reported that the subject Minister had opposed the committee appointed by the Finance, Economic Stabilisation, and National Policies Ministry coming under President Ranil Wickremesinghe, which had recommended the abolition of the USDA. Therefore, Ranatunga has submitted a joint cabinet paper with the Premier, urging the President to revise the particular decision taken by the said committee. The said committee had proposed that the USDA must either be completely abolished or be taken over by the Urban Development Authority.
The committee appointed by the said Ministry has recommended either the abolition or the restructuring of many other public institutions such as the Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resources, the State Engineering Corporation, the Ocean View Development Company, and Hotel Developers (Lanka) Limited.
The USDA, which was established in 2008 by the Parliamentary Act No. 36 of 2008, is an institution functioning under the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing. The formulation of national policies in relation to urban settlement development and ensuring the implementation of such policies, along with the provision of improvements to the living conditions of the people in underserved settlements, are the interconnected twin objectives of the establishment of the USDA.