Abstract:
: The Pradheshiya Sabha (PS) has the mandate to play a more active
role in rural development with the local participation in planning and
implementing development programs. The PS covers both rural and estate areas
in its locality. The total population of 18.3 million of the country consists of
72.2% rural, 21.5% urban, and 6.3% estate sector residents. The estate sector has
the characteristics of a rural scenario but has not been mandated to Local
Authorities, in this case, Pradeshiya Sabhas, to serve them. Exclusion of nearly
2200 state settlements and 0.9 million estate residents from the administrative
purview and service delivery mechanism of Local Governments throughout its
history is a major political and development issue in the country (Chiristine,
2003, Hetige, 2003, Vijesandiran, 2011). The objective of the study is to examine
the causes for the exclusion of Plantation Tamils from the Local government
service delivery, Ambagamuwa PS in particular. Primary and secondary data
were used for the study. PS members, officials, public were purposively
interviewed. The study found that the present Pradeshiya Sabha Act was
redrafted from the previous Village Councils Act which excludes estate residents
being served from public funds. Clauses 2(1), of section 33, 18 (xiv), 18 (xxii) and
134 (4) of the present Pradeshiya Sabha Act, states that every Pradeshiya Sabha
can administrate only rural areas. The estate residential areas that are part of the
estate business enterprises are considered as private entities and any part of
Pradeshiya Sabha funds can be spent only on village and rural development.
Further, they do not have the mandate to impose rates and taxes on estate
residents, residential buildings and their properties because those are considered
as built-up localities of estate enterprises. These clauses limit the
legitimate/statutory mandate and powers of the Pradeshiya Sabhas in extending
their functions to the estate sector. Hence, estate residents remain as mere voters
without entitlement to any services from local authorities. Exclusion of estate
settlements from public service delivery leads to social, economic and political
marginalization of all estate communities and to anon-economic form of poverty
among them. It can be concluded that, reforms in the PS act, institutional
arrangements and affirmative action would resolve this problem in the long run.
