Quick Look

Boost for high quality seed production

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The Agriculture Ministry will increase high quality seed production to enhance the productivity of food production, Agriculture Ministry Secretary K. E. Karunatilake said.

Only 17 percent of high quality seed paddy is produced in the country. The Ministry plans to increase it to 30 percent in three years.

Now we only can get 4.3 metric tons of paddy harvest from one hectare and within next three years we hope to increase it to 5 mt of paddy per hectare after increasing the local seed production. The Ministry will also provide all technologies to the private sector to produce high quality seeds. Basic seeds will be given by the Ministry.

Seed production villages will be started islandwide to produce high quality seeds. Seed farms, Agriculture Training Centres and Agriculture Research Stations will look after those villages.

Wasps attack workers

Amila Prabhath Wanasingha

Nearly 18 archaeological site workers at Abhayagiriya were hospitalized due to a wasps attack yesterday.

They were working at the top of the Dagoba at the time of the attack and were rushed to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. few had already been discharged after treatment.

Abhayagiri Archaeological site sources said the wasps were chased without harming them.

Preservation work at the Abhayagiri site have been temporary suspended until things become normal.

High quality rubber plants for cultivators

The Rubber Cultivation Development Department will provide high quality budded rubber plants for smallholder rubber cultivators in Galle, Matara, and Hambantota districts to promote rubber cultivation.

New director assumes duties

Economic Development Ministry (Development Forum) Director General Bashwara Senanka Gunaratne has assumed duties. Gunaratne earlier served as the National Youth Council Director General in 2006.

Ranjith Yasaratne, new Matara acting mayor

Bandula Gunasekara and T.K. Ariyadasa Malimbada group corr.

Matara, Deputy Mayor Ranjith Yasaratne has been appointed as the Acting Mayor of Matara.

This appointment has been a sequel to step taken by Southern Province Chief Minister Shan Wijayalal de Silva, to suspend the duties of sitting Mayor Upul Nishantha.

Cattle damage vegetable gardens

Somadasa Abeywickrama - Baddegama group correspondent

Home Gardeners and vegetable farmers of the Baddegama area are highly inconvenienced as stray cattle destroy vegetable gardens most parts of Baddegama are full of cattle straying aimlessly in groups.

Uva PC to develop schools

A.M. Gunasekera Banda - Balangoda Central group cor.

The Uva Provincial Council will provide building facilities and other basic facilities to 60 schools in difficult areas in the province at a cost of Rs. 100 million, Uva Provincial Education Director H.K. Jayasooriya said.

These facilities will be provided for schools in Meegahakeula, Madulla, Passara, Kandeketiya and Siyambalanduwa Education Zones, he said.

Mini co-op city system expanded

Gamini Samaranayake - Kandy Roving Correspondent

The Wattegama Multi Purpose Cooperative Society will expand the Mini Co-op City system to provide more facilities for consumers.

Under this, four Mini Co-op City shops were opened meanwhile 12 Co-operative retial outlets operating in the area will be converted to Mini Co-op City shops.

Republic day anniversary

A ceremony to mark the 38th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s Republic Day organized by the Badulla District People’s Council will be held at the Uva Provincial Council’s Library Auditorium on May 22 at 9.30 a.m.

Training program for Bhikkhunis

Priyanka Kurugala

The Dekanduwala Meditation Center Horana, Kahatapitiya, has started a one year training program for Bhikkunis and Dasasil Mathas.

The First batch which completed the Dhamma education will be awarded certificates of evaluation on May 16 at Dekanduwala Meditation Center , Buddhist Cultural Center Director Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera said.

Fowzie wants higher Haj quota

Disaster Management Minister A. H. M. Fowzie accompanied by Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana, had talks with Saudi Haj Minister Dr. Fouad Bin Abdul Salam Al-Farsy on arrangements for Haj pilgrims from Sri Lanka this year.

The Saudi Haj Minister confirmed the quota of 2,800 pilgrims from Sri Lanka.

Minister Fowzie requested it be increased to 8,000 pilgrims which request the Saudi Minister said he will refer to the higher authorities.

The Sri Lankan Haj delegation headed by Minister A. H. M. Fowzie is scheduled to sign an agreement with Saudi Haj Minister before they return to the country.

Prize-giving

Madharasathul Malharis Sulhiyya, Jumma Masjid Road, Maligawatte, Colombo celebrating its Golden Jubilee will held its Prize-giving Ceremony at the Madharasa Hall on May 15 at 4.00 p.m. Bangladesh High Commissioner Mahbub Uz Zaman will be the chief guest.

Star Quest - 2010

Star Quest - 2010 annual astronomy quiz competition conducted by the Colombo University Mathematical and Astronomical Society will be held on May 29.

School astronomical societies that intend to participate in this competition should apply to “Mathematical and Astronomical Society, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo - 03” on or before May 20. Details: www.starquest.uocmas.info

Seminar

The Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum with the support of the Internews-Sri Lanka will organise a seminar on “Media on 31st Century” for Advanced level Students of the Kandy area at Badiudin Mahmud Maha Vidyalya, Kandy today.

Buddhist book exhibition

The Dehiwala, Nedimala, Buddhist Cultural Center will hold a rare Buddhist book exhibition and a fair at the Art Gallery in Colombo May 24 to 30 to mark Vesak .

This includes books written in foreign languages as well as Sinhala, Pali, Sanscrit, English and Tamil.

Aesthetic valued ‘Thanka’ arts, from Tibet will also be on display at the exhibition.

All funds from the exhibition will be allocated to build the world’s largest Buddhist information center in Colombo, to commemorate the Buddha’s 2600th Buddhahood anniversary in 2011.

National Vesak Festival in Mahiyangana

Priyanka Kurugala

The National Vesak Festival will be held at the Mahiyangana Rajamaha Viharaya May 24. The event will be held under the patronage of Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkita Maha Nayake Thera.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratna will also participate.

The Government will issue four stamps to mark the 2554 Vesak Ceremony, one depicting the Buddha’s arrival to Mahiyanganaya stamp four rupees, Mahiyangana Stupa five rupees, Mirisawetiya Stupa ten rupees and Jethavana Stupa Rs. 30, Buddhist Affairs Commision sources said.

A Triple Gem Abhivandana Perahera and a Vesak devotional song program will also be held in Mahiyangana.

Concurrently, the Bauddhaloka Mawatha Vesak zone, in Colombo will also be conducted.

Mass Media and Communication Minister Keheliya Rambukwella visited the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation yesterday. Here the minister handing over the letter of appointment as Senior Program Producer to war front reporter Saman Kumara Ramawickrama. SLRC Chairman Sarath Kongahage, Ministry Secretary W.B. Ganegala and Additional General Manager Devapriya Abeysinghe were also present. Picture by Sudath Malaweera

Senior Presidential Advisor and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa met British High Commissioner Dr Peter Hayes at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. Picture by Chaminda Hittetiya

Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena meets Australian High Commissioner Kathy Klugman at his home recently. The High Commissioner extended the Australian Government’s cooperation to develop Sri Lanka’s health sector.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena in conversation with people at his office while Ministry officials look on.