S r i L a n k a Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 277 and Provincial Councils is responsible for devolved government nationally and the provincial ministers of local government for local government. The principal organs of devolved government are the nine provincial councils. In the next tier are 330 local authorities, comprising 18 municipal councils, 42 urban councils and 270 pradeshiya sabhas (rural local authorities). Provincial councils’ principal responsibilities include provincial economic plans; law and order; education; housing; and agricultural support services; local authorities are responsible for health; utilities; and roads; and the pradeshiya sabhas are also concerned with economic development. The local authorities collect taxes, rents, rates and fees, as well as receiving transfers from national and provincial governments. National development plan The Ministry of Finance and Planning has established a tenyear development framework (2010–20) in which to realise the Mahinda Chinthana vision for Sri Lanka – that growth in GDP alone will not bring economic prosperity to the people (2005, 2010). The current medium-term development plan, published in 2010 and spanning the period 2010–16, came out of a broad stakeholder consultation process, including ministries, agencies, trade chambers, civil society organisations and trade unions. Policy The key goals of the medium-term national development policy include: • Maintaining economic growth of at least 8 per cent per annum and GDP per capita of more than US$4,000 by 2016 • Private-sector-led growth • Eradication of poverty • Universal secondary education • Reducing the malnutrition rate of children to 12–15 per cent • Life expectancy of at least 80 years • Increasing access to clean water in urban areas to 90 per cent of people • Raising forest coverage to 43 per cent of the land area Further information Government of Sri Lanka: www.priu.gov.lk Government News Portal: www.news.lk Commonwealth Secretariat: www.thecommonwealth.org Commonwealth Governance: www.commonwealthgovernance.org Governance institutions Department of Elections: www.slelections.gov.lk Parliament of Sri Lanka: www.parliament.lk Supreme Court of Sri Lanka: www.supremecourt.lk Office of the President: www.President.gov.lk Ministry of Justice: www.justiceministry.gov.lk Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils: www.pclg.gov.lk Ministry of Finance and Planning: www.treasury.gov.lk Ministry of Economic Development: med.gov.lk Federation of Sri Lankan Local Government Authorities: fslga.lk Central Bank of Sri Lanka: www.cbsl.gov.lk Colombo Stock Exchange: www.cse.lk Standards Institution: www.slsi.lk Securities and Exchange Commission: www.sec.gov.lk Telecommunications Regulatory Commission: www.trc.gov.lk
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