Cabinet Decisions

Building a healthy nation by encouraging sports

It has been observed that only about five percent of the students following primary education are engaged in sports activities which could be due to much time for education purposes. The joint proposal made by Education Minister Bandula Gunawardene and Higher Education Minister S. B. Dissanayake and Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to implement physical eduction and sports programmes within the school system and universities was approved by the Cabinet.

Amendments to the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act

On the Fisheries and and Aquatic Resources (Amendment Bill which incorporates necessary Legislation to accede to international obligations to regulate fishing in high seas and exports of fishery products, submitted by Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Rajitha Senaratne, Cabinet approval was granted to refer the said Bill to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation for recommendation.

Ocean University

On the proposal made by Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, for the establishment of the Sri Lanka Ocean University in place of the National Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering, Cabinet approval was granted to refer the relevant Bill to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation for recommendations.

Purchase and sale of paddy

The government has decided to vest the responsibility of the implementation of the Paddy Purchase Programme of the government, with the District Secretaries/Government Agents, to ensure food security, a stable price for paddy for the farmers and for the sale of paddy to consumers at a concessionary rate. For this, the state banks will provide pledge loans amounting to Rs. 1798.11 million made up as follows for the purchase of paddy during the Maha season.

* Bank of Ceylon ’ 9- ’3391.59 million
* People’s Bank ’9 ’2D ’3816.29 million
* Regional Development Bank ’2D ’3205.54 million
* National Savings Bank ’2D ’3384.69 million

Funds to meet any shortfalls for the purchase of paddy will also be provided up to an amount of Rs. 700 million from the Revolving Fund for the purchase of paddy maintained the Treasury. This proposal submitted by, Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando, was approved by the Cabinet.

Rehabilitation of Haputale-Boralanda-Keppitipola Road

The proposal made by the President, in his capacity as the Ports and Highways Minister, to rehabilitate this road section with asphalt concrete surfacing instead of cement concrete surfacing and meet the cost involved within the total amount of loan facilities to be made from the Hatton National Bank and for the Department of External Resources of the Finance and Planning Ministry to negotiate the terms and conditions of the loan with the Hatton National Bank, was approved by the Cabinet.

H’tota Port Commencement of Business Ventures

The construction work of the Hambantota Port Development Project (Phase I) have been completed as scheduled. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has prepared a business plan to identify the business ventures that could be undertaken under Phase I of the Project. The proposal made by the President, in his capacity as the Ports and Highways Minister to award the contract for the operation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PRT) manufacturing plant for a period of 25 years and to lease out five hectares of land, as recommended by the Cabinet appointed negotiating committee (CANC) was approved by the Cabinet.

Clean Energy and Access Improvement Project

The proposal made by Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, to award these contracts as follows, as recommended by the Cabinet Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (CAPC) was approved by the Cabinet.

* Lot A-3, Package A - Part 2 - for a sum of US$ 2,124,976.39 Plus Rs. 44,163,915.00
* Lot A-3, Package B - Part 2 ’2D for a sum of Euro 1,331,254.00 Plus ’9 ’9 ’9Rs. 41,759,632.00

New Three Storied Building

The Divisional Secretary’s Division in the Kandy District consists of 52 Grama Niladhari Divisions and the total population is 88,599. The proposal made by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J.Seneviratne to construct a new three storied building for the Divisional Secretariat, at a total cost of Rs. 33.035 million, was approved by the Cabinet.

Construction of a new Three Storied Building

This Divisional Secretary’s Division in the Kandy District consists of 57 Grama Niladhari Divisions and the total population is 29,866. The proposal made by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J.Seneviratne to construct a new three storied building for the Divisional Secretariat, at a total cost of Rs. 30 million, was approved by the Cabinet.

Construction of a new Three Storied Building

This Divisional Secretary’s Division in the Kandy District consists of 67 Grama Niladhari Divisions and the total population is 37,356. The proposal made by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J.Seneviratne to construct a new three storied building for the Divisional Secretariat, at a total cost of Rs. 30 million, was approved by the Cabinet.

New three storied building for the Minipe Divisional Secretariat,

This Divisional Secretary’s Division in the Kandy District consists of 48 Grama Niladhari Divisions and the total population is 51,577. The proposal made by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J.Seneviratne to construct a new three storied building for the Divisional Secretariat, at a total cost of Rs. 47.7 million, was approved by the Cabinet.

Bill for the implementation of 2013 Budget Proposals

The proposal made by President to submit the following Bills to Parliament for approval by the Cabinet.

* Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill
* Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill
* Nation Building Tax(Amendment) Bill
* Ports and Airports Development Levy (Amendment) Bill
* Economic Service Charge (Amendment) Bill
* Finance (Amendment) Bill
* Betting and Gaming (Amendment) Bill
* Excise Ordinance (Amendment) Bill
* Telecommunicatiojn (Amendment) Bill
* Strategic Development (Amendment) Bill
* Tax Appeals Commission (Amendment) Bill
* Customs Ordinance (Amendment) Bill
* Marriage (General) Registration (Amendment) Bill
* Kandyan Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill
* Muslim Marriage and Divorce (Amendment) Bill
* Notaries (Amendment) Bill
* Registration of Documents (Amendment) Bill
* Powers of Attorney (Amendment) Bill

* Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Bill
* Fiscal Management (Responsibility) (Amendment) Bill
* Land Tax (Special Provinsions) (Amendment) Bill

Agreement with Swaziland

The proposal made by External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, to grant covering approval for the above Agreement signed between the two countries, was approved by the Cabinet.

MoU on bilateral political consultations

The proposal made by External Affairs Minister Pro G. L. Peiris, to grant covering approval for the above Agreement signed between the two countries, was approved by the Cabinet.

Tourism Promotion Campaign in China

The Tourism Development Strategy 2011 - 2016 envisages to increase tourist arrivals to 2.5 million, foreign direct investments in tourism sector to US$ 3 billion, tourism related employment to 500,000 and foreign exchange earnings from tourism up to US$ 3 billio by 2016. The proposal made by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, to proceed with the related activities of the campaign, was approved by the Cabinet. (niz)