Cabinet Decisions

Amending the Defence Services Command and Staff College Act No 5 of 2008

The Defence Services Command and Staff College is the only educational institution which provides training facilities to middle level officers of the three Armed Forces.

This institution will be affiliated to the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University to award post graduate degrees to officers in the three armed services.

Officers who get through the residential certificate course after passing the PSC certificate course, they are entitled to apply for the Post Graduate course at the University of Kelaniya.

The proposal by the President, as Defence and Urban Development Minister, to make arrangements in the Act to make this affiliation and to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft amending legislation was approved by the Cabinet.

Allocation of blocks of land on regional industrial estates to set up industries

The Cabinet on a proposal by Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen gave its approval for the allocation of blocks of land to 52 selected industrialists on a 35-year lease basis, in the industrial parks in the country. on the recommendations of the authorities and on conditions stipulated.

There are 25 intestinal estates established on district basis in the country. The selection of industrialists for investment is being done following a transparent procedure. This will create around 3,000 direct job opportunities islandwide with an investment of Rs 2,040 million.

MoU with Republic of Kazakhstan

The Cabinet on a proposal by External Affairs Minister Prof G L Peiris gave its approval to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Kazakastan during his proposed visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The objective of the proposed MoU is to further strengthen and consolidate the close relationship between Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan by reviewing at an annual meeting, the political, economic, trade, scientific and cultural cooperation as well as issues of mutual interests in the international arena.

Early action taken to provide free school textbooks and uniforms for 2013

The proposal by Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena to entrust the printing of school textbooks to the State Printing Corporation and the Department of Government Printing and the balance, if any, through open competitive bidding, was approved by the Cabinet.

It is expected to distribute school textbooks on time to around four million students and Bhikku students studying from grade one to 11 in the country.

A proposal by Minister Gunawardena to import 50 percent of the total quantity of school uniform material for 2013 through the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation, following the competitive bidding procedure, was approved by the Cabinet.

Tractors to be provided to farmers at concessionary rates to promote local food production

The Japanese government has made available to the Agriculture Ministry, a consignment of agricultural equipment worth yen 360 million in 2012 which includes 50 four wheel tractors and 896 two wheel tractors.

On a proposal by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the Cabinet decided to provide agricultural equipment on concessionary terms to farmer organisations; and farmers who excel in the field of agriculture, selected through a transparent procedure where the use of organic fertiliser and the achievements made under the Divi Neguma programme are measured.

Two wheel tractors will be sold at an estimated price of Rs 250,000 with all accessories and spare parts and four wheel tractors with all accessories and spare parts will be sold at Rs 650,000.

These will be issued with a minimum payment of Rs 25,000 to recover the balance amount within 36 monthly installments.

Regulatory mechanism to deal with lightning prone construction

A regulatory mechanism coupled with a national certification system to reduce lightning related hazards caused by lightning prone construction will be introduced

The proposal by Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to establish a National Centre for Lighting Safety, under the Department of Meteorology with an Interim Committee of officials headed by the Director General of Meteorology to manage the centre until a proper legislation is framed, was approved by the Cabinet.

Construction of building for Ruhuna University Engineering Faculty library

The proposal by Higher Education Minister S B Dissanayake to construct a three- storied building for the library of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Ruhuna at a cost of Rs128.6 million, to commence this project in 2012 and complete construction work within three years, was approved by the Cabinet.

Japanese Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme

The Japanese government has agreed to provide Japanese Yen 211 million (approximately Rs 340 million) to Sri Lanka for the Japanese Human Resources Development Scholarship Programme to be implemented in 2012.

The programme's objective is to provide opportunities to government officials to follow post graduate studies in Japanese universities in public policy and public finance, public administration, regional development etc.

The candidates for this programme will be selected on a competitive selection process.

The proposal made by President, as the Finance and Planning Minister, to enter into a grant agreement with Japan International Co-operation Agency to obtain the above grant assistance was approved by the Cabinet.