Identification and declaration of urban areas situated in Pradeshiya Sabha limits

The Cabinet of Ministers have granted approval to identify the urban areas in the Pradeshiya Sabha territories with the assistance of a Consultancy Committee and to declare the urban and country areas identified in those Pradeshiya Sabha areas subject to the Town and Country Planning Ordinance.

 

The proposal was submitted by Prime Minister as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing.

 

 “Administrative Unit” is utilized as the main criterion for categorizing the areas as urban areas. Accordingly, only the municipal council areas and urban council areas are categorized by now as urban areas.

 

 Due to the weakness in the criterion most of the urbanized areas are recognized as rural areas that requires an accurate definition of urbanization.

 

 The Department of National Physical Planning is entrusted with the power to declare the urban development areas in terms of Town and Country Planning Act No. 13 of 1946 amended by the act No. 49 of 2000.