In Sri Lanka the idea of devolution seemed to initiate in 1980s by introducing District Development Council Act in 1980. Those councils were established in each district for responding to the demand of Tamil Members of Parliament, for a degree of political' decentralization. However there were much criticism that District Development Councils were not given enough power (both legislative power as well as the power to generate income) to perform development activities within their boundaries. By introducing 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987, the government established the existing provincial council system, which has been given greater degree of decision-making and legislative power than ever had been used in Sri Lanka.