Policy Development Office (PDO) of the Prime Minister’s Office is hosting a website about rural “polas”/village fairs. The “pola” or “santhai” is a weekly village market that plays an important role in rural life in Sri Lanka. It is a meeting place for the community and also serves as the backbone of rural economies. A sizeable amount of retail trade takes place at village fairs, sales by primary producers and purchases of non-local products brought in by distributors. By helping to modernize and build capacity in village markets, it is intended to boost rural economics throughout the island. This website can be accessed by http://villagefair.pmoffice.gov.lk/ and provides a mechanism to link those who want to help develop Sri Lanka directly with village markets in need of essential infrastructure, especially in rural communities around the island. This initiative is about making it easy for donors to fund micro-projects in Sri Lanka, projects that will make a big impact in the lives of many. The needs of individual village markets are listed. Village markets that receive funds are obligated to follow up on the progress of each micro-project. Photographs of the completed micro-project will be uploaded on to the website to maximize transparency. So far, details of Matale and Colombo polas can be viewed. Down the line, we will keep the public updated on the progress of the website. For feedbacks and innovative concepts, write to us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Website: http://villagefair.pmoffice.gov.lk
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/weeklyvillagefair
Feedback/contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">
Important Links