Provincial Authorities are principal actors within AGSL at provincial level. They form the Provincial Working Groups (PWGs) which are the governing bodies of AGSL at local level. PWGs build upon existing governmental structures but emphasis their cross sectoral and integrative nature. They include representative from various technical sectors and allow participation from the civil society and the private sector. PWGs are the basis for real territorial development where needs are analysed and respective government development plans are complemented by civil society and private sector contributions. It is also the forum through which local authorities do interact with international development possibilities, initiate partnerships and receive complementary funding to address the most pressing developing needs in their territory. All Provincial Ministries and Departments, crucial civil society and private sector actors are usually represented. The Head of the provincial administration, the Chief Secretary, heads the PWG. The PWGs select, plan and guide all activities and interventions and assures the needed coordination with the technical members of the different Technical/Local Working Groups.
Sri Lanka has had a system of representative political institutions since the latter part of the British colonial rule. The politico-administrative management system inherited at the time of independence was essentially a centrally controlled system. Policies and plans were formulated at the Centre and their implementation was directed and controlled by the Centre. A large proportion of the bureaucracy was managed centrally and not having any specific accountability to the local communities for the delivery of services.
The constitutional change that emerged from the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution was intended to modify the institutional structure of the government in order to introduce a devolved political system. It sought to allocate functions of government between the Centre and the Provinces, whilst retaining a serious of concurrent functions. However, the changes to the constitution failed to include the tier of local government as a distinct tier within the political structure; hence the Local Government institutions remained as subordinate tier of governance.
The sharing of government responsibilities has been a subject of continuing debate in post-independence Sri Lanka polity -a debate that gathered intensity in the decades after 1987. Under the eighth schedule of the 13th Amendment the allocation of functions was categorized into three lists, the Provincial Council list, the Reserved List and the Concurrent List. Matters of national importance were allocated to the Central Government and those of regional or local interest to regional or local governments.
Provincial Councils are directly elected for 5-year terms. The leader of the council majority serves as the province's Chief Minister with a board of five ministers; a Provincial Governor is appointed by the President. The Provincial Councils have full statute making power with respect to the Provincial Council List, and shared statute making power respect to the Concurrent List. Whilst all matters set out in the Reserved List are fall under the responsibility of the central government.
People’s representatives to the Provincial Council are elected at provincial council elections. The Chief Secretary’s Office handles the Administration of the Council. His office administers the subjects coming under the purview of the Provincial Council and provides the funds for the development activities.
The PC and the Central Government are linked by the Hon. Governor and the Chief Secretary, who is the head of the provincial administration. District Administration and Divisional Administration are deconcentrated structures and directly managed by the Central Government represented through the District Secretariats and Divisional Secretariats.
The Chief Secretary’s office is the key organization of the Provincial Council. The administration, planning and financing are the main subjects of the Chief Secretary whereas other functions of PC are subjected to its supervision. Considering the important role played by the institution in the policy making and local development planning, AGSL works in close relation with the Chief Secretary in the project implementation process.
Since AGSL works in all the aspects of development, the programme network all the activities with all five ministries of PC: Education, Health, Food and Corporative, Agriculture, Rural development. The provincial departments of Social Services, Health, Ayurveda, Education, Culture and Tourism are the main departments engaged as AGSL partners. Southern Provincial Development Authority (SPDA) and the Ruhunu Tourist Bureau is also involved with AGSL in the development projects as provincial authorities.
