Colombo (PTI): Inviting private investment to rebuild the war-ravaged northern Sri Lanka, the government has said it will ensure "local ownership" of the development projects to be implemented in the region.

Chairman of Presidential Task Force for Resettlement, Development and Security in the Northern Province, Basil Rajapaksa, said the government wanted to localise development projects to suit the needs of the people in the northern areas, as he met a group of Tamil professionals for working out ways to develop the region following end of the conflict.

"When development is taking place the people want their ownership. It should not be something which we enforce from outside. We must ensure the local ownership of the people.

These are the things we are doing," said senior Presidential Advisor and brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He said private sector will be invited to play a role in undertaking developmental projects in the region from where the LTTE has been wiped out.

"The private sector will have to be invited. There is zero private sector in these areas. So private sector, civil society and other government organisations will have to be involved to rebuild and activate the process," Mr. Rajapaksa said.

Pointing out that displaced persons constitute one-third of the people in the north, Mr. Rajapaksa said the government will not wait for their complete resettlement to start development projects in Wanni.