Cabinet DECISIONS
Census of population and housing in 2011
The 14th census of population and housing will be conducted this year
covering all 25 districts after 30 years.
The Census was last held in 1981 but it was then confined to only 18
districts.
On the basis of a Memorandum submitted by the President, Cabinet
approval had been granted to hold the 14th census of population and
housing in 2011.
Cabinet approval was given to obtain the specialized resources needed
for the purpose using the competitive bidding process.
The project is estimated to cost Rs 700 million.
Govt to buy liquid milk
Cabinet approval was granted to increase the minimum farm gate
purchase price of fresh milk to Rs 50 per one litre on a proposal by
Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugan Thondaman.
This is in keeping with the 2011-Budget proposals where the President
had proposed this increase.
The country has reached 35 percent self-reliance in local milk
production and it is envisaged to become 100 percent self-sufficient by
2016, thereby saving a considerable amount of foreign exchange spent to
import milk powder.
Import levies on dairy animals
The country needs to have additional 100,000 high yielding cows to
achieve self-sufficiency in milk production in 2016 from its current
status quo of 35 percent self reliance.
Cabinet approval was granted for the removal of all levies on the
imports of all pure bred dairy cows and dairy equipment on a proposal by
Livestock and Rural Community Development Minister Arumugan Thondaman.
Secondary schools
On a proposal by Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena, Cabinet
approved to implement a national program to establish 1,000 fully
equipped secondary schools throughout the country from this year. This
national program will be implemented within four years. Funds have been
received from the Asian Development Bank to develop 100 such schools.
World Bank funds for this project are to be received from the second
quarter of this year. The contract for planning and supervision is to be
awarded to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB).
Construction work will be awarded on Open Competitive Bidding basis.
Medium and small scale contractors in the locality of the respective
provinces will be given preference in this process. |
