Cabinet decisions
 

BY Manjula Fernando and Uditha Kumarasinghe

CABINET Spokesman Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday said the Cabinet which met on Wednesday has given its approval to more than 54 Cabinet memorandums. The following are some important Cabinet decisions:

The Cabinet allocated Rs.118 million for a survey for a establishment of Geographic Information System in the plantation sector.

Cabinet approval was also given to allocate Rs.6.6 million for the salaries and allowances for the BCC employees for next three months.

Cabinet has given approval to amend the Rubber Replanting Subsidiary Act and give more benefits to the cultivators in this field.

Following a Cabinet memorandum submitted by Lands and indigenous Medicine Minister Tissa Karaliyadde, Cabinet has given approval on a project to plant Katuwelbatu in the Anuradhapura district.

This follows a successful implementation of the Katuwelbatu project by 192 selected farmers. Earlier this particular herb was imported from India. However this proposed project will cater to the entire Katuwelbatu requirement in Sri Lanka.

Cabinet approval has given to provide an incentive to the Dhamma School Final Certificate examination which covers Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian religions for entry into the Public service.

The Government allocated Rs. 89.3 million for the Kaluoya river basin project implemented under Danish assistance. The Danish government has provided Rs.1,086 million to the entire project which also envisages improving water quality in the canals in Colombo suburbs.

Approval was received to increase the current rate of incentives to Grama Niladaris from seventy cents to Rs.4 and Provincial Secretaries from 40 cents to Rs.2 per one national ID issued, amending an old 1972 circular.

Approval was also received to release funds to computerise background data of about two million people who have been issued national IDs by the Commissioner for Registration of Persons, over a period of 35 years.

The decision will allow the Department to maintain a computer data bank to preserve the information and get rid of the large piles of documents.

The cabinet approved the installation of a mobile electrical system at Sripada sacred area.

The Cabinet approved the setting up a National Enterprise Development Authority to seek donor assistance to promote this sector.

They also approved a proposal to declare a national tree planting month in October.

A national science week is to be declared from November 5 to 10.