Cabinet decisions

Payments to officers affected at UN Peace Keeping Mission

The Cabinet granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order on the provisions in relation to members of the Armed Forces and Police Department killed or permanently disabled in action whilst performing duties on United Nations Peace Keeping Mission.

Members of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces have been serving on United Nations Peace Keeping Missions since September 2004. In the course of performance of duties on UN Peace Keeping Missions in Haiti, two soldiers died and four were injured.

Although the next of kin of deceased personnel and permanently disabled personnel would be eligible for a lump sum compensation under the MoU signed between the United Nations and Sri Lanka, as the majority of such personnel do not possess pensionable service in the Armed Forces, the next of kin would only be eligible to a reduced Widows and Orphans Pension, and if the officer or soldier becomes permanently disabled to a reduced service rendered in terms of the prevailing relevant circulars in the Armed Forces.

Due to the nature of duties performed by Armed Forces personnel on UN Peace Keeping Missions, it is recommended that the payments made available by a Cabinet Paper of 1982 to Armed Forces personnel killed due to terrorist activities be extended to Armed Forces personnel killed or permanently disabled in action whilst in performing duties on UN Peace Keeping Missions abroad too.

The proposals provide for next of kin to be paid the full salary and allowance of the deceased officer paid him on the date of his death till such time as he would have reached 55 years if he was alive and for any increase in pay allowances that would accrue to officers if they were alive and in service to be also paid.

*******************

Restriction on migration of mothers

The Cabinet granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Child Development and Women’s Empowerment Minister Sumedha G. Jayasena on the imposition of limitations on migration of mothers to ensure the welfare of children.

It is clear from statistics and reports that children of many mothers who migrate, specially for employment to the Middle East and other countries, have become helpless and vulnerable, and lack nutrition and healthcare.

It has also been reported that some mothers have migrated to the Middle East leaving infants of three months. These mothers also face problems as they are unable to concentrate on their jobs.

Often, mothers who have small children migrate without making proper arrangements with regard to their children and families; children are left with husbands, mothers or relatives. There have been instances when accidents, even death, caused to the children due to insecure conditions.

The Cabinet granted approval to prohibit of migration for employment of mothers having children under five years and in the case of mothers with over five years, for the purpose of registration at the Foreign Employment Bureau, a report with a recommendation from a Committee headed by Divisional Secretary to the effect that appropriate arrangements have been made with regard to the children.

This Committee can include a Women Development Officer, a Relief Sister, a Social Services Officer and a Labour Welfare Officer.

*******************

Thurusaviya Fund to be consolidated

The Cabinet granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Plantation Industries Minister D.M. Jayaratne to obtain provision for capital and recurrent expenditure of Thurusaviya Fund. This fund started to function in December 2000.

The fund’s objectives are to enhance social status and income levels of rubber smallholders through savings, promote investment opportunities in the rubber industry, establish, improve and provide facilities such as processing units, rubber factories and other to smallholders, promote sales and marketing of rubber products is processed in processing units and rubber factories and to form, register and regularise Thurusaviya societies and provide monetary and other facilities to the society members.

To achieve these objectives 226 societies have been formed among rubber smallholders by the end of last year and action is being taken to provide facilities to 8,798 members. This programme is launched among rubber smallholders in Kalutara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Galle, Matara, Colombo and Gampaha districts.

The Cabinet granted approval to allocate capital and recurrent expenditures of the Thurusaviya Fund since 2007 and to obtain Rs.23 million of capital expenditure and Rs.7.6 million of recurrent expenditure for 2007.

*******************

Engineering Services Unit to be formed

The Cabinet granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Irrigation and Water Management Minister Chamal Rajapaksa on the formation of an Engineering Services Unit (ESU) in the Ministry.

The Ministry of Irrigation and Water Management and the Irrigation Department is in the process of launching a comprehensive development programme in the irrigation sector, in keeping with the principles and policies of the Mahinda Chintanaya.

A sound irrigation infrastructure will be established with the new installations with large scale projects and the upgrading of existing facilities to meet the challenges of the century.

An Engineering Services Unit will play a vital role in this venture. This unit will consist of senior engineers, engineers, senior grade technical officers, technical officers and draftsmen, consultants and experts.

*******************

Distress Loan conditions to be removed

The Cabinet granted approval to a Memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Finance and Planning on the removal of conditions for the distress loan introduced through 2007 Budget proposals.

They are: the granting of distress loans from 2007, based on the salary of the respective year; giving priority to the lower ranking state employees as well as to the first time applicants and granting fresh distress loans only to those who have settled at least two-third of the outstanding distress loan.

Although the above proposals were included in the Budget speech, after discussions with various trade unions, certain trade unions had requested to amend these proposals after the Budget was passed.

Accordingly, at the discussion, the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Resolution of Industrial Disputes chaired by the Prime Minister had with the representatives of the National Centre for Trade Unions in January, it was agreed to remove the proposal on granting fresh distress loans only to those who have settled at least two-third of the outstanding distress loans stipulated in the National Budget Circular.

The Cabinet granted its approval that in granting loans from this year, not to implement the budget proposal which stipulates that at least two-third of the outstanding distress loan should be settled.

*******************

Re-employment of retired officers

The Cabinet granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Finance and Planning, on the re-employment of retired officers.

Accordingly, retired persons to be re-employed only in essential posts for which finding suitable replacement is difficult; re-employment of a retired officer in a higher grade post should be resorted to only after the Secretary to the Ministry or the Head of the Department is personally satisfied that there is no officer in the immediate lower grade who has completed the requisite recruitment qualifications for such post; on re-employment of a retired person, he should be paid only the last salary drawn, as an allowance; the pension of retired persons should be kept frozen during the period of re-employment in Public Service:; re-employment of retired persons should be limited to a period of 12 months; during the period of such re-employment, a suitable successor should be identified by the Head of Institution, and the training of such officer should be entrusted to the re-employed officer as a responsibility.