Cabinet decisions

Reconstruction of damaged houses in Batticaloa district

The Cabinet has approved to a memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister to grant financial assistance utilizing the savings of the said programme, subject to a maximum of Rs. 75,000.00 in respect of 716 housing units pending completion in Stage II of the North-East Housing Reconstruction Programme following an assessment of the damages caused.

.The project for the reconstruction of houses in the North-East, which is being implemented by the Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Minister is funded by the International Development Agency (IDA) and the European Union (EU).

Restricting rice import

The Cabinet has approved to a memorandum submitted by Acting Minister of Finance and Planning Ranjith Siyambalapitiya to issue a Gazette notification specifying the minimum FOB price of a metric ton of rice which is being exported, to be Rs. 100,000 with effect from 10.06.2008.

The Government has imposed a maximum retail price per kilogramme of rice, to minimise the impact of escalation of prices in the market. The policy of the Government is to stimulate domestic production and to encourage consumption of rice based food products among local consumers, thereby enhancing their health standards and also saving valuable foreign exchange spent on import of wheat flour.

The Government has also taken steps to increase the supply of rice to the market by facilitating the import process.

Werahera Driving Licence Branch to be upgraded

The Cabinet has approved a memorandum submitted by the Transport Minister Dallas Alahapperuma to renovate and build additions to the administration building of the Werahera Driving Licence Branch of the Motor Traffic Department.

Integrated tourism resort project for Kalpitiya

Cabinet has approved to a memorandum submitted by the Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda to set up a project office and appoint a project steering committee for the Kalpitiya integrated tourism resort project (KITRP).

Kalpitiya Peninsula is a unique destination with a cluster of 14 islands of varied sizes. Five of these islands are inhabited while the rest are uninhabited only patronized by the seasonal fishing community.

The Kalpitiya Integrated Tourism Resort Project (KITRP) will be the first ever Mega Integrated Tourism Resort Project to be undertaken by the Tourist Development Authority (former Ceylon Tourist Board) which once implemented will extensively reshape the total tourism product profile with considerable value addition to the destination.

Rehabilitation of folk heritage centre

The Cabinet following a Cabinet memorandum submitted by Cultural Affairs Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene has approved rehabilitation of the Folk Heritage Centre, Dambana and provision of monthly grant for its maintenance. Rs. 100,000 monthly grant will be provided to maintain this centre with effect from January 2009. Southern railway to be upgraded

The Cabinet has approved submitted by the Acting Finance and Planning Minister Ranjith Siyabalapitiya, to obtain 100 million US Dollars loan from the Indian Government to upgrade the southern railway line. The Government will enter into an agreement with Export Import Bank of India to obtain this credit facility. This money will be utilised to upgrade the existing railway line from Colombo to Matara. Cadre for public health specialists

The Cabinet has approved a memorandum submitted by Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva to create a cadre for Public Health Specialists in the Department of Health Service.