Cabinet DECISIONS

Recommendation implementation

The Finance Commission is mandated with the responsibility of recommending the financial needs of the Provincial Councils and governing fiscal management aspects of Centre-Province relations.

In terms of Article 157 (R) (3) of the Constitution, the Government allocates funds from the Annual Budget to meet the needs of the provinces on these recommendations.

Funds are allocated under two grants:

Provincial Specific Development Grant which is for financing infrastructure development in the province.

The other is the Criteria Based Grant for capital expenditures for resolving the socio-economic problems in the provinces.

On the recommendation of President as Finance Minister, the Cabinet approval was granted to implement the said recommendations of the Finance Commission and to present them in Parliament.

Office building for Parliamentary Complex

The Cabinet decided to construct a separate Office Complex for Parliament on a proposal made by Prime Minister .

It is proposed to be constructed in the available block of land adjoining the Parliamentary Premises at a cost of Rs 750 million.

The project is to be commenced in the year 2011/2012 with funds to be provided under the Medium Term Budgetary Framework on submission of a detailed project report.

Fibre Optic Cables for

Southern Development Expressway

The Southern Expressway is designed as an Access Controlled Toll Expressway for the total length of 126 km from Konawa to Godagama.

The access to this road will be provided only through 11 interchanges located at Konawa, Kahatuduwa, Gelanigama, Dodangcda, Welipenna, Kurundugahahetekma, Nayapamula, Pinnaduwa, Deegoda, Kokmaduwa and Godagarna to ensure trouble free operation and maintenance of this expressway.

On the recommendation of President as Highways Minister, Cabinet approval was granted to:

Invite technical and financial proposals to install a Fibre Optic Cables Network by the Sri Lanka Telecom and to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee and a Project Committee for same.

Secretariat for the Northern Displaced Muslims

About 30,000 Muslim families in the Northern Province were forcibly evicted by the LTTE in 1990 and most of them sought refuge in the Puttalam District.

The above Secretariat was established in the Puttalam District for their assistance.

These Muslim families are now willing to go back to their places of origin in the North due to normalcy in those areas.

The Cabinet on a proposal jointly made by Minister A L M Athaulla and Minister Milroy Fernando decided to relocate the above Secretariat for a period of six months in the Musali Division in the Mannar District from November 1, 2010 in order to facilitate the resettlement process of these Muslim families in the Mannar District.

National Week on Early Childhood Care

Cabinet approval was granted to declare the Week from December 14 to 20 in each year as the National Week on "Early Childhood Care and Development" on a recommendation by Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karaliyadda.

Several programs on Early Childhood Care and Development are to be implemented during this week and.

Committees have been set up at national, provincial, district, divisional and village levels for the purpose.

The program is to be implemented in close collaboration with the private sector as well.

On a recommendation by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena it has been planned to establish 450 organic manure production villages covering all districts for the production of organic manure at village level.

This project will be commenced in 2010 and completed in 2011.

On implementation of this project, it is intended to divert the organic manure produced towards paddy cultivation, which in turn would reduce the usage of chemical fertilizer by 25 percent after the first year.

Life Saving Drugs to hospitals

The Government will ensure smooth functioning of patient care services in all hospitals throughout the Island. Cabinet on a recommendation by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena approved for the immediate procurement of urgently needed life saving drugs up to a maximum of Rs 500 million. This will be procured with the approval of the Ministry Procurement Committee and subject to the conditions stipulated by the Ministry for this purchase.

Rs 69 m for the Moneragala-Buttala township development

Several development programs in respect of the above are being implemented in the Local Authority Areas of the Moneragala District under the Local Government and Provincial Councils Ministry.

Rs 69 million required for the development of the Buttala town under the Moneragala District Integrated Development Program, will be provided from funds allocated to the Ministry for the Town Development Programs.

Public utilities such as Buttala Bus Stand, Shopping Complex, internal roads etc will be included under this project.