Prior to the commencement of the provincial council system, the land affairs related to the province were carried out under a land department established under an assistant land commissioner appointed from the Land Commissioner General Department under the leadership of the District Governor.The Provincial Land Commissioner’s Department was established under the 13th Constitutional Amendment to carry out the related subject works under the Provincial Councils along with the existing Land Commissioner General Department of the Central Government.
Accordingly, on 11/04/1989, in accordance with Cabinet Paper 89/22, the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Land Commissioners Department was newly established under the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture with the acceptance as a policy of the memorandum presented by the Ministry of Agriculture to establish a Land Settlement Board.Our department carries out the duties related to the existing government lands in the province and the duties related to inter-provincial irrigation are the responsibility of the Land Commissioner General Department of the Central Government.Mrs. M. Malini Premaratne started her reign as the first Provincial Land Commissioner and in almost 33 years this department has been controlled by 12 Provincial Land Commissioners.The posts of Deputy/Assistant Land Commissioner, Land Officers and Colony Officers and other functions related to administration and field work are also working under the Provincial Land Commissioner. A Kegalle sub-office is also under our department. The work of the department is done in four sections namely Land, Administrative, Accounts and Development.Currently around 90 staff are paid their salary from us.In addition 23 lands and colony officers are also working under our department.
Ms. K. A. M. J. Ranasinghe, who is the current Provincial Land Commissioner, contacted 29 Regional Secretariat Offices belonging to both Ratnapura and Kegalle districts to provide the necessary guidance to the beneficiaries by the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Land Commissioner Department as delivering their work to the board, they manage their affairs successfully.