Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremasinghe has emphasised the importance of improving air and sea connectivity between the Northern regions of the island with South India. Addressing the Sri Lankan Parliament today, he said that the government has plans to enhance the Kankesanthurai Harbour, Vavuniya, and Palali Airports, as well as establishing a ferry service between the two countries.
 
Flight connectivity between Chennai and Jaffna was restarted in December last year after a hiatus of three years.
 
In addition, Mr. Wickremesinghe stresses the necessity of implementing the 13th Amendment in a way that suits the growth of the island nation. He added that achieving this requires a consensus among all Parliament members. The President highlighted that the 13th Amendment, which oversees the decentralisation of power to provincial councils, holds the utmost legal significance in the country. He emphasised the necessity of respecting and adhering to it, stressing that both the executive and legislature have a responsibility to uphold and implement its provisions.

While he introduced his plans for the 13th Amendment and devolution of powers, he urged a comprehensive review of his proposals.
 
During his visit to India last month, Mr. Wickremasinghe assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is committed to finding solutions to the decades-long ethnic issue as well as implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The Indian prime minister had underscored India’s view on the implementation of the statutory provision which was brought in after the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement of 1987.
 
India has been pressing Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment which provides for devolution of powers to the North and Eastern provinces.