As an initial step, 450 acres of such land would be returned back to their original owners next Monday with President Maithripala Sirisena scheduled to visit the handing over ceremony in Jaffna.

Meanwhile, speaking at a recent media briefing, minister Lakshman Kiriella said that the cabinet has also decided to release 400 acres of land in the East region as well as buildings around the high security zone around the President’s House and Temple Trees, to the public.

Model village
Speaking further, minister Kiriella said that the government also decided to establish a model village in a 220-acre area of released land in the North to resettle 1,022 families displaced by the war.

The minister emphasised that this move to release land would not be detrimental to national security but would allow civilians living in IDP camps to return to their land.