Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to visit villages across the island nation to address people's grievances on a face-to-face basis and provide immediate solutions to their problems, according to an official statement.

In the statement issued on Friday, the President's Media Division said that the Haldummulla Divisional Secretariat Division of Badulla District had been selected for the first inspection tour, reports the Daily Financial Times newspaper.

"While touring the country during the presidential and general election campaigns, President Rajapaksa came to realise that people in remote areas suffer a great deal due to a number of long-drawn unresolved economic and social problems," the statement said.

Some of the major difficulties people in these remote villages were facing pertained to livelihood; shortage of lands and houses; unavailability of undisputed deeds for lands; inadequate health and transportation facilities; shortages in school and other educational issues; inaccessibility to drinking and farming water; elephant intrusions; and hurdles in selling their produce.

"The President's inspections visits to the villages are organised to give priority to the people. The expenditures relating to these tours will be kept at minimum possible levels. Officials from Colombo will not accompany him.

"People are requested to explain their grievances to the President at these public meetings. The President's objective is to provide solutions for the public issues on the spot in every possible circumstance. The issues which will take time to solve will be noted down for future reference," the statement added.

Also on Friday, the President directed officials to treat all of his verbal orders issued for the common good of the people as circulars to be implemented or face stern action if failed to do so, reports the Daily Mirror newspaper.

"Those who neglect this will face stern action... I expect public officials to consciously comprehend the problems of the people and provide solutions," he said.

(IANS)