Norochcholle first phase commissioned by President

• Electricity for all within two years
• Govt focusing on alternative power sources
• Infrastructure facilities for rural areas
• Massive development drive country

The people do not want to see those who betrayed the country in power.

A bird’s eye view of the Norochcholai project. Pictures by Sudath Silva

“The resounding mandate given by the People to the Government at all elections since 2005 shows that they do not want to see treacherous elements in power,” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The President was speaking at the opening of the first phase of the Lak Vijaya coal power plant in Norochcholai yesterday.

The President said that provision of electricity to the rural villages would no longer be an election pledge nor a slogan as the Government will complete providing electricity to all households in the country within the next two years.

The President added that 87 percent of all house holds in the country are supplied with electricity and it would be increased to 100 per cent within two years.

The first phase of Lak Vijaya Power plant generates 300 MW of electricity to the National Grid.

The project was funded by the Chinese Government. Construction work was carried by a Chinese company.

The Sri Lankan Government also invested Rs 5,300 million for the first stage and Rs 11,000 million for the second stage of construction.

President Rajapaksa said that the Government is in the process of providing infrastructure facilities to the rural areas.

The President noted that those who stood in the Government’s path to liberate the country from the clutches of terrorism have raised their ugly heads again to deter the country’s development march.

President Rajapaksa added that they have launched protests demanding the ban of GSP+ facility on Sri Lanka.

The President added these elements want to prevent the country from being developed.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa added that Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the region where electricity is provided for domestic and industrial purposes round the clock.

The President said the Government has focused on alternative power sources such as wind power.

He said the Government conducted all elections in time and sought fresh mandates from the people. “The process of conducting elections strengthens democracy,” he added.

President Rajapaksa said that the country faced insurrections and terrorism due to the lack of a proper mechanism to develop the country.

“We did not have a proper program to build the country and this led to youth upheavals in 1971, 1988 and terrorism which engulfed the nation for nearly 30 years,” he added.

He said the entire country has been brought under a massive development drive.

The President added that new ports, Super high ways and new power stations are being constructed in the country.

President Rajapaksa added that the country has been in the path of progress since the victory of UPFA government led by him in 2005.

“The people of this country started hearing news about the country’s achievements in respect of all key sectors since the Government came into power in 2005”, he added. He paid special gratitude to the Government of China and the officials who helped complete the project in time.

The President added that all developed countries in the world laid more focus on the development of the power and energy sector.

Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka, Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekera, Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister John Seneviratne were present.

Thank you, says President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a message thanked all voters who gave the UPFA a landslide victory at the Local Government elections.

The message adds: "I convey my thanks to all the people who brought a great victory to the United People's Freedom Alliance at the recently concluded Local Government Polls.

"The people's verdict has proved the fullest confidence they kept on the Government and has endorsed our program to develop this country under the theme Sapiri Gamak Supiri Ratak which is a part and parcel of the Mahinda Chintana concept.

I wish to state that my dedication to fulfill the aspirations of the people will continue as we did in the past.

"In conclusion, I wish to convey my sincere thanks to all the people who brought victory to the Government, other political parties, candidates, Commissioner of Elections, his staff, Police, the Security Forces for their services to conclude the election succe- ssfully."

People power humbles UNP-JVP

The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance recorded a landslide victory at Thursday’s Local Government elections winning control of 205 out of the 234 bodies that went to polls inflicting yet another humiliating rout on the UNP while totally annihilating the JVP.

In a ringing endorsement of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership the voters totally rejected UNP attempts to raise the spectre of a people’s revolution of the type now sweeping the Middle East while also delivering a resounding slap on the JVP who paraded their usual slogans with the intention of turning the voters away from the regime.

UNP’s ploy to parade Sajith Premadasa as the party’s new face also backfired with the MP losing his party ground in Hambantota, nurtured by him for a long time. His party lost Tissamaharama along with the JVP who lost control of the local body after two consecutive terms in power. The UNP won only nine local bodies while the JVP suffered a total route.

The UPFA wrested control of 18 local bodies previously held by the UNP. Significant among these were the Horana and Wattala UCs held by the party for decades.

The United National Party suffered a great blow as it failed to garner the support of people at grassroot level. The UNP’s humiliating debacle proved that emergence of Hambantota district parliamentarian Sajith Premadasa to the limelight would not be able to revive the feeble party.

Final results of the Local Government election manifests the people’s unwavering confidence in the Mahinda Chintana in the path of achieving economic prosperity for the country.

It has emerged victorious in a number of Local Government institutions including Pathadumbara Pradeshiya Sabha, Biyagama Pradeshiya Sabha and Wattala-Mabola Urban Council and Mirigama Pradeshiya Sabha which had been held by the UNP for a number of years.

The main Opposition was pushed into third place losing most of the local bodies in the North and the East. It lost almost all its strongholds including the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha.

The UNP gained control of nine Local Government institutions including the Kuliyapitiya, Gampola and Kadugannawa Urban Councils and Bandarawela Municipal Council.

Twelve Local Government bodies including the Mannar and Trincomalee Urban Councils and Vavuniya Pradeshiya Sabhas went to the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi. The JVP which won a seat at the Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha at the last local poll in 2006, suffered a humiliating defeat failing to win even a single local body at this election.

The UPFA won the Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha by a majority of 3,979 votes as against the United National Party which polled only 8,344 votes. The UPFA polled 14,523 dealing a severe blow to the JVP which obtained only two seats.

The United National Party was reduced to only one local Government authority from the Colombo district and Muslim Congress gained control of four local bodies including the Ninthavur and Irakkamam Pradeshiya Sabhas while an independent group managed to win one local authority.

The National Congress and the Upcountry People’s Front won the Akaraipattu and Nuwara Eliya Pradeshiya Sabhas.

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said the Local Government election was held in a peaceful atmosphere without any major incidents.He said disputes and clashes between candidates and the supporters of the same party were seen during the course of the Local Government election campaign.

The Commissioner thanked all those who helped conduct a free and fair local government election.

Sandanaya wins LG election in a landslide

The United People’s Freedom Alliance has won the 2011 Local Government election with a majority victory over 205 out of the total 234 LG bodies. Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) comes in second winning 12 while the United National Party (UNP) only managed to secure 09 LG bodies.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has won 04, National Congress 02, the Up-Country People’s Front (UPF) 01 while an Independent Group has secured 01 LG body.

Sandanaya leads with 55.35 percent vote in 162 councils

The Commissioner of Elections has so far released the results of 162 LG bodies. Ruling UPFA is in the lead with 55.35 percent of the votes cast for those councils. According to latest statistics the UPFA has polled 2141771 votes (55.35 percent).

The ruling UNP has obtained so far is 1309978 33.86 percent. The JVP which has lost its only stronghold the Tissamaharama PS in the Hambantota district has been reduced to 122064 (3.15 percent) and other smaller parties and Independent groups contested for few Pradeshiya Sabhas have got 295356 (7.63 percent)

LG Election Manapa results are now processed.

Sandanaya heading towards landslide victory in mini poll

Local Government Election results from 151 Local bodies have been released up to now from which the UPFA has won 129 bodies while ITAK and the UNP have won 10 and 7 respectively. SLMC has won two local government bodies while the UCPF and the IND have won one each.

Sandanaya win 82 local government bodies so far

Local Government Election results from 100 Local bodies have been released up to now from which the UPFA has won 82 bodies while ITAK and the UNP have won 7 and 6 respectively. SLMC has won two local government bodies while the UCPF and the IND have won one each.

Local government election results summary up to now

The local government elections results have been released for 56 local bodies so far out of which the UPFA have won 45 and the UNP have won 6. ITAK has won 3 local government bodies while the SLMC and the UCPF have won one each.

All Island Results - Cumulative

UPFA			55.18%	- Votes - 1166884 / Members - 717
UNP			32.83%	- Votes - 694199 / Members - 344
JVP			3.09%	- Votes - 65424 / Members - 17
Other			8.90%	- Votes - 188271 / Members - 119

All set for LG polls

All arrangements are in place for a free and fair election today to elect members to 234 Local Government bodies which will have 3,036 elected members, the Elections Commissioner’s Department said. Those eligible to vote are requested to exercise their franchise at polling stations from 7 am to 4 pm today.

Elections will be held in 7,396 polling stations to elect 3,031 candidates for 235 out of 335 local Government authorities. The Local Government authorities in the fray today include three Municipal Councils, 30 Urban Councils and 202 Pradeshiya Sabhas.

The counting is scheduled to commence at midnight today at around 1,000 counting centres. Several counting centres have also been established to count postal votes which will take place first. The first election result will be released by midnight today or in the wee hours of tomorrow, the Elections Commissioner’s Office said.

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday advised voters to cast their vote to a political party or an independent group of their choice first as a ballot paper without a vote is deemed invalid. “The ballot paper without vote is deemed invalid and it has no value. Please remember to cast the vote first and proceed to the preferences if you wish,” he added.

A total of 9,813,375 people are eligible to cast their vote today at 7,402 centres while over 80,000 government employees will be on election duty. The Elections Commissioner has deployed over 70,000 police personnel for election duty.

The Army will also be deployed to assist the police to prevent possible incidents at polling stations.

Special Task Force (STF) officials will also be deployed at polling stations where certain incidents had been reported during earlier elections. STF contingents have been dispatched to particular centres where violent incidents could be expected. The police along with the STF will provide protection to District Counting Centres, Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake said.

Meanwhile, around 80,000 government servants and a considerable volume of resources including vehicles will be deployed on election duty to facilitate the process.

Police Department sources added that special security would be provided to polling stations and counting centres. Sources added that no person other than authorized by the respective returning officer or Government Agent will be allowed to enter counting centres.

Meanwhile, no person will, be allowed to enter either a polling centre or counting centre with firearms. Using camera phones inside the polling centres is also banned. According to the Elections Commissioner’s Department, video filming and still cameras have been limited only for the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, Opposition Leader and Political Party Secretaries.

Voters will need to prove their identity by producing a valid identity card before they will be issued a ballot paper. Those without identity documents will not be able to cast their votes. However a polling card is not compulsory for a voter to cast his/her vote.

The Election Commissioner has allowed election monitors to monitor the election process with a view to holding a free and fair election. The Election Commissioner will nullify results of polling centres where election violences are reported. The issuing of result regarding the particular local government body will also be withheld and a fresh election will be held for the nullified election division in due course.

Soon after the conclusion of vote, ballot boxes will be sealed by the Senior Polling Officers in the presence of party and independent group representatives.

These representatives will be allowed to place two stickers on the ballot box. Thereafter the ballot boxes will be transported from polling centres to counting centres with police protection.

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama directed Sri Lanka Railways officials to deploy special train service for the benefit of Government servants on election duty and the people who leave for their home towns for voting.

Fuel stations in areas where the election is held will be kept open round the clock on March 17.

The Elections Commissioner rejected 452 out of 2,047 nomination papers in terms of the Local Authorities Election Ordinance.’

Local Government elections will not be held in 64 electorates as political parties filed writ applications in the Court of Appeal against the rejection of their nomination papers by the Department.

Thirty-four Local Government authorities including the Colombo Municipal Council have not been scheduled for election.

Election for the two local Government bodies namely Puthukudiyirupu and Maritime Pattu Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Mullaitivu district were postponed due to voters not being resettled as the area is dotted with landmines and booby traps.

LG Polls 2011

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Fukushima radiation: No impact here

Atmosphere monitored

Intensity less than Chernobyl

The Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority yesterday advised against panic over the alleged threat of radiation following four blasts at a nuclear power plant in Fukushima in Japan due to failure of the cooling system.

Monitoring * Imported food items * Vegetation

Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Authority Chairman Prof Wimaladharma Abeywickrama said that there is no impact on Sri Lanka due to a possible leakage of radiation in the aftermath of blasts that took place at Fukushima nuclear power plant.

“The International Atomic Energy Authority in Vienna has placed Japan’s disaster at Level Four which is not so serious as the Chernoby1 nuclear power plant explosion in Russia which was categorized as a Level Seven accident.

“There is no impact on Sri Lanka and the Authority has started monitoring the atmosphere, imported food items and vegetation to ascertain the radiation level as a precautionary measure” he added.

Prof Abeywickrama said that the Japanese Government has only warned the people living within a radius of a 30 km from the nuclear power plant in Fukushima where several blasts occurred in various stages.

Addressing a press conference at the Authority, Prof Abeywickrama added that his Authority is testing samples of milk powder imported by various companies to the country to ensure that they are not contaminated with radio active substances after the Chernobyl accident in the 1980s.

The Authority held a high level meeting with the Met Department and Disaster Management Centre officials to discuss the possible impact on the people in Sri Lanka due to the Fukushima nuclear blast and to provide information about the situation to the people in advance.

He added that the Authority has latest technology and the instruments to check the radiation level of the atmoshpere.

Met Department Director General S H Kariyawasam said the North and East monsoonal rain is gradually weakening with the onset of inter-monsoonal rain.

He added that if the radio active substances were released from the nuclear plant in disaster-hit Japan, it takes more than one month to reach the country and there are many countries in between. “It does not show that the wind is blowing directly from Japan,” Kariyawasam added.

Kariyawasam asserted that there is no possibility of such substances being carried into Sri Lanka due to the prevailing wind pattern.

Authority Senior Scientist and Co-ordinator of Emergency Response Planning A Jayalath said that there is a possibility of emission of various types of radio active substances following an accident in nuclear power plants and there would be several reactions too.

He said many countries could face the impact of the emission of radiation from the Fukushima power plant but it depends on several factors. The impact on the particular country due to this blast is decided by the wind pattern and the lifetime of radiation substances, he added. Jayalath added the lifetime of some substances are lesser than one week and the other substances like CCM are active for more than 30 years.

ජපානයේ විපතට පත් වැසියන් වෙනුවෙන් එජනිස කනගාටුව

ජපානයේ සිදුවූ සුනාමි තත්ත්වය හේතුවෙන් විපතට පත් ජපාන වැසියන්ට එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය කනගාටුව පළ කරන බව යෞවන කටයුතු ඇමති ඩලස් අලහප්පෙරුම මහතා පවසයි.

පසුගිය 11 වැනි දින ජපානයට බලපෑ සුනාමි තත්ත්වය නිසා 11,000කට ආසන්න පිරිසක් මියගොස් ඇත. ජපානය නැවත ගොඩනැගීම සදහා ශි‍්‍ර ලංකාවේ මිත්‍රත්වයේ දෑත් දිගුකරන බවද ඇමතිවරයා වැඩිදුරටත් කීය.

Win for me the village I’ll win for you the country

The Government’s intention is to lead the country towards prosperity under an accelerated development program, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday asking the people to win for him the village and he would win for them the country.

President Rajapaksa was addressing a meeting in support of UPFA candidates contesting the local government elections at the Kurunegala Maligapitiya ground yesterday. The President told the crowd to rally round the Government.

He promised to build a country where Sri Lankans could live proudly without any differences.

President Rajapaksa said he has visited Wayamba several times and was sure the masses would vote for the UPFA at the March 17 Local Government elections.

President Rajapaksa urged the Pradeshiya Sabha candidates to work as one team for a UPFA victory. He advised them to carry out their election campaign in a disciplined and democratic manner. He said the Local Government election which will elect the most suitable persons to develop the village is not an election that will change the Government but one that will get work done by the Government.

The President said Government has laid the foundation to develop the country although they had to face obstacles at the beginning by those who attempted to divide the country.

“We defeated such forces not only in the North but development was curtained even in the south during the last 30 years due to terrorism,” he said.

“We are not developing the country with the aim of winning the elections. When there are elections or not, we are dedicated in our task for the progress and prosperity of the country, the President asserted.

Indigenous Medicine Minister Salinda Dissanayake said a lot of UNPers are joining the UPFA.

“This shows the confidence they have in the Government,” he said.

The Government has taken steps to strengthen rural economy, Dissanayake said.

Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Johnston Fernando and T B Ekanayake, Chief Minister Athula Wijesinghe, Senior Minister S B Navinna and Deputy Minister Jayaratne Herath also addressed the gathering.

President expresses sympathy

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in a message to Emperor of Japan, Akihito expressed sympathy on the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan yesterday. He stated, “we pray for solace for those affected by the disaster and for the rapid recovery of the Japanese people and nation”.

“Japan is a very close and dear friend of Sri Lanka.

At this moment of challenge, our thoughts are with Your Majesty and your people, he said.

Following is the message:

“Along with the rest of the globe, the people of Sri Lanka and I have been watching with sorrow and anguish the destruction brought about in Japan by the earthquake followed by a tsunami.

“We are aware that due to their nation being located in an area of the world especially vulnerable to this kind of natural phenomenon, the Japanese authorities have taken the maximum measures to prepare for and mitigate the consequences of such a disaster. We also know that the Japanese people possess incredible resilience and courage, which has enabled them to overcome always the greatest of destruction and continue on the path of national progress.

“Japan is a very close and dear friend of Sri Lanka. At this moment of challenge, our thoughts are with Your Majesty and your people. We pray for solace for those affected by the disaster and for the rapid recovery of the Japanese people and nation.

“Please accept, Your Majesty, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry states that upon hearing of the earth quake that struck the Northern and Eastern parts of Japan last afternoon the President spoke to the Japanese Ambassador Kunio Takahashi and condoled with him on the destruction caused to lives and property.

Tsunami fury lashes Japan

• Triggered by one of largest ever quakes
• Pacific warning alert for killer wave

Japan was hit by one of the worst earthquakes ever recorded triggering a deadly 10 meter high Tsunami that threatened to scythe through vast swaths of coastal territory across the globe embracing the pacific.

The devastating 8.9 magnitude quake left many people injured in coastal areas of the main Honshu Island and Tokyo while TV footage showed widespread flooding in the area. The death toll stood at 337, 531 were missing and 627 injured in the tsunami at the time this edition went to press but it is feared that this figure could multiply greatly given the cataclysmic nature of the devastation as shown on CNN.

Tsunami carries away ship with 100 people

A ship carrying about 100 people was swept away by the huge tsunami that hit Japan on Friday and its fate was unknown, public broadcaster NHK reported, citing Miyagi prefecture police. No further information was immediately available from Japanese media or prefectural police which AFP reached by telephone. The quake was the largest ever to hit Japan, the fifth strongest tremor worldwide since 1900 and the seventh strongest in history, according to the US Geological Survey and Japanese seismologists. AFP

Television footage showed whole cities, malls and residences being swept away by the killer waves with masses of vehicles drifting to and fro in the undulating tide ebbing and flowing like toys. It also showed massive inundation in Northern coastal towns where floods of black water sent shipping containers ,cars and debris crashing through streets. An oil refinery was ablaze near Tokyo.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a widespread warning for territories as far away as South America, New Zealand and Hawaii, where evacuations were ordered.

The US Tsunami monitoring Centre also widened a warning to virtually the entire Pacific coast, including Australia and South America.

Television footage also showed a wide muddy stream moving rapidly across a residential area near the Natori river in Sendai levelling all in its path.

According to a AFP dispatch the powerful earthquake that struck off Japans Pacific coast was felt as far away as the Chinese Capital Beijing, some 2500 kilometres (1,500 miles) to the West.

Meanwhile AFP reported that the Tsunami also reached Sendai airport submerging the runway.

Plumes of smoke also rose from at least 10 locations in the capital Tokyo where four million homes suffered power outages. AFP said

A monster 10-metre (33 feet) wall of water was reported in Sendai city in northeastern Miyagi prefecture, media said after a four-metre wave hit the coast earlier.

The government said the quake had caused “tremendous damage”.

Swells of up to one metre were reported hitting Russia’s far east, with bigger waves expected later.

The first quake struck just under 400 kilometres (250 miles) northeast of Tokyo, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by more than a dozen aftershocks, one as strong as 7.1.

The quake was the largest ever in Japan, the fifth strongest tremor worldwide since 1900 and the seventh strongest in history, according to the US Geological Survey and Japanese seismologists.

“We were shaken so strongly for a while that we needed to hold on to something in order not to fall,” said an official at the local government of the hardest-hit city of Kurihara in Miyagi prefecture.

“We couldn’t escape the building immediately because the tremors continued... City officials are now outside, collecting information on damage,” she told AFP by telephone.

A major blackout occurred across a wide area of northeastern Japan.

The quake affected the nation’s key transportation systems, including Narita airport, which shut its runways for safety checks.

The quake, which hit at 14:46 pm (0546 GMT) and lasted about two minutes, rattled buildings in greater Tokyo, the world’s largest urban area and home to some 30 million people.

In Tokyo, where the subway system stopped, sirens wailed and people streamed out of buildings.

The government moved to reassure people that there had been no radiation leak from the country’s network of nuclear power plants.

More than 220,000 people were killed when a 9.1-magnitude quake hit off Indonesia in 2004, unleashing a massive tsunami that devastated coastlines in countries around the Indian Ocean as far away as Africa.

ජාත්‍යන්තර කාන්තා දිනය නිමිත්තෙන් ජනාධිපතිතුමාගේ පණිවිඩය

ජාත්‍යන්තර කාන්තා දින සැමරුම් උළෙලට සුබ පැතුම් පණිවිඩයක් නිකුත් කරනුයේ මහත් සතුටින් යුතුවය.

අප විසින් අපරිමිත කැප කිරීම් සිදුකරන ලදු ව මෙරටට නැවත උරුම කර දුන් නිදහසේ සැබෑ ඵල නෙලා ගැනීම සඳහා යෝධ සංවර්ධන ක්‍රියාවලියක් රට පුරා දියත් කර තිබේ.

එතුළින් අප බලාපොරොත්තු වන්නේ දිනූ දේශයේ ළමුන් හා කාන්තාවන් ඇතුළු සෑම පුරවැසියෙකුට ම යහපත් හා තෘප්තිමක් අනාගතයක් උදා කිරීමයි.

එහි සංවර්ධන ක්‍රියාවලිය සඳහා භේදයකින් තොර ව කාන්තාවන්ගේ උපරිම සහභාගීත්වය ලබා ගැනීම සඳහා ඔවුන්ට සියලු අවශ්‍යතා සැලසීම කාලීන අවශ්‍යතාවකි. එය තහවුරු කරමින් ‘දේශයේ ගොඩනැඟුමට ඇයගේ දැනුම හා ශක්තිය’ යන තේමාව යටතේ 2011 ජාත්‍යන්තර කාන්තා දිනය සැමරීම කාලෝචිතය.

පවුල තුළ, ප්‍රජාව තුළ හා රටේ සමස්ත ආර්ථිකය තුළ කාන්තාව ඉටු කරන මෙහෙය ඉමහත් ය. එයට අප ජාතියේ ප්‍රණාමය රටේ කාන්තා පරපුර වෙත නිතැතින් ම හිමිවේ. නව දැනුම, තාක්ෂණය හා යහපත් ගුණාංගවලින් ඇය තවදුරටත් ශක්තිමත් කර ශ්‍රී ලංකාව ආසියාවේ ආශ්චර්යය බවට පත් කිරීමේ කර්ත්‍යවයට ඇයගේ දායකත්වය උපරිම ලෙස ලබා ගැනීමට ඔබ සැමගෙන් ලැබෙන සහයෝගය බෙහෙවින් අගය කරමි.

ජාත්‍යන්තර කාන්තා දිනය සර්වප්‍රකාරයෙන් ම සාර්ථක වේවා!යි මම ප්‍රාර්ථනා කරමි.

Sri Lanka Celebrates International Women’s Day Centenary

The International Womens Day celebration in Sri Lanka under the theme "Women's knowledge and strength to uplift the country” will be held on March 8 at the BMICH under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

International Women’s Day first emerged from the activities of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe. In 1909 the first National Woman's Day was observed in the United States on 28 February. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions.

The Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen in 1910, established a Women's Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women's rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. As a result of the Copenhagen initiative, International Women's Day was marked for the first time in March 2011 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. 100 years on International Women’s Day (IWD) falling on 8 March 2011, has become a global mainstream phenomena celebrated across many countries.

According to Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadde around 2500 representatives from women organisations islandwide would participate at this event at the BMICH. He said “Women were the worst affected by terrorism in Sri Lanka and the time has come to ameliorate the sufferings of women and render every possible assistance to them to upgrade their lives”

A five year action plan for women will be launched this year apart from the ongoing development projects such as self employment projects, exhibitions & sales centers for women's products, housing loans, and consultancy services.