Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today said he advised UNP Ministers not to busy themselves with 'unwanted  problems' and work on rapid development projects in the next 18 months. '

This comes two days after President Maithripala Sirisena's controversial statement holding the UNP and the Prime Minister responsible for not being able to carry out the promised agenda of the government. 

At the Working Committee meeting of the UNP yesterday, the Prime Minister informed his party members to refrain from responding to the President's statement.

The Prime Minister, addressing a gathering at Temple Trees today, said the sole focus of his party MPs should be on the development programme of the government. 

"There are problems and I am aware of them. But, we must fully focus on rapid delivery, not on anything else. The proposed development projects must be carry out without bottlenecks. People want to see rapid development and results on the ground," the Prime Minister stated. 

The Prime Minister also said the government had allocated Rs. 80,000 million for rural development.