01. Revision of the total expenditure estimates for the construction of Police Stations in Jaffna and Point Pedro
One of the steps to be taken for strengthening the civil administration after ending the conflicts of the war is widening the Police Stations and government offices. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has already given approval for the establishments of Police Stations in Jaffna and Point Pedro. It has now become necessary to increase the already estimated expenditure in this connection. In this connection the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Public Order and Christian Affairs John Amaratunga to expeditiously build these two Police Stations by increasing the estimated expenditure for the Jaffna Police Stations from Rs. 294.8 Million to Rs. 484.1 Million and by increasing the estimated expenditure for the Point Pedro Police Stations from Rs. 119 Million to Rs. 176 Million.
02. Drafting of a new Bill by amalgamating the Rabies Diseases Act and the Registration of Canine Act
Under the programme of revising the Acts related to the local government sector in a manner suitable for the present situations, taking into consideration of proposals that had been made to revise the Rabies Diseases Act and the Registration of Canine Act the Cabinet of Ministers appointed a committee of officials to look into the possibility of amalgamating the Rabies Diseases Act and the Registration of Canine Act as one single Act. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Democratic Administration Karu Jayasuriya to instruct the Legal Draughtsman to prepare one single Act by amalgamating the Rabies Diseases Act No. 7 of 1893 and the Registration of Canine Act No. 25 of 1901 as it has been recommended by the aforementioned committee of officials.
03. Increase the ceiling of revolving loan provided by State Banks to grant bonus to retired and serving public servants
About 25,000 government servants go on retirement annually. A system of paying their retirement bonus allowance expeditiously by the State Banks has been introduced. This task is being carried out at present in a productive and efficient manner. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake to empower the Treasury to increase the amount of revolving loan facility given to the Director General of Pension Payments by the Bank of Ceylon, the People’s Bank and the National Savings Bank whenever it becomes necessary
04. The Project of improving the Kalutara Urban Centre and the Development of the Calido Beach
The Cabinet of Ministers approved a joint proposal made by the Hon. Ministers of National Water Supply and Drainage and Urban Development Rauf Hakeem, and Tourism and Sports Navin Disanayake to vest about 20 hectares with the Urban Development Authority and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority to carry out development activities in the Kalutara Town and Calido Beach to develop urban facilities, tourism facilities and recreational facilities for the benefit of tourists and pilgrims.
05. Starting of 22 water supply projects by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to expand the coverage of pipe water supply service on a priority basis
The Cabinet of Ministers have already given approval to implement 22 water supply projects to widen the pipe water supply services on a priority basis under funds obtained from local banks. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Ministers of Water Supply and Drainage and Urban Development Rauf Hakeem to issue a loan guarantee by the Treasury to obtain a loan facility amounting to Rs. 3,499 Million by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board from the Bank of Ceylon.
06. Improvement of the investment programme of Greater Colombo Water and Waste Water Management
The Cabinet of Ministers has already given approval to implement segment one and two of the investment programme of Greater Colombo Water and Waste Water Management. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Ministers of Water Supply and Drainage and Urban Development Rauf Hakeem to obtain additional funds amounting to 35 Million U.S.Dollars from the Asian Development Bank to implement the next stage of this programme.
07. Provision of specialized maternal and child care facilities to the Kalutara Hospital under assistance from Netherland
By developing the Kalutara Hospital as a specialized maternal and child carecentre, people of the Kalutara district with low health facilities could get benefited to a great extent.
It would help to provide high level health services to the people of Matugama, Agalawatte, Dodangoda, Ingiriya, Bulathsinhala, Horana, Beruwela and Balapitiya. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicina (Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne to construct a specialized maternal and child carecentre at the Kalutara General Hospital under assistance from Netherlands amounting to Euro 28,782,948.30
08. Construction of the Cancer Hospital with all modern facilities at the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama
The National Cancer Institute in Maharagama is the main institute in the country that provides cancer treatment services. There is an increasing demand for obtaining treatment from this Institution. Already a project for making this institution as a modern cancer treatment hospital is being implemented with Rs. 850 Million received from Ahmed Tea Company in London and a subsequent contribution of Rs. 380 million from the said company. In addition to this it has been proposed to establish units for checking bone marrow with an operation theatre, increase facilities in the chemical laboratory, create facilities for joining bone marrow and to provide other equipment and facilities that are required. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicina (Dr.) Rajitha Senaratne to provide the required balance amount of Rs. 283 Million by the government of Sri Lanka.
09. Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Iraq for cooperation in the field of tourism
Identifying that building the tourism field between the two countries, relationship between the people of the two countries, and the mutual understanding between the two countries could be improved, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Sports Navin Dissanayake to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Iraq to enhance the cooperation in the tourism sector between the two countries.
10. Loans that have been obtained for the development projects of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority
As per the instructions given to provide the details of loans that had been obtained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority for its development projects, the Hon. Minister of Ports and Aviation provided the requested details to the Cabinet of Ministers.
Accordingly the amount to be paid by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority is Rs. 215 Billion. The Cabinet of Ministers took notice of this.
11. Vesting of the land of the National Library and Documenmtation Board as a free grant to that Institution
The main objectives of the National Library and Documentation Board are establishment of the Sri Lanka National Library in order to form a knowledgeable society, safeguarding the intelligent heritage of the nation, encouraging and promotion of the use of information and mass media technology, providing facilities for production of books, and providing assistance for publication of books. At present this Board is located at No. 14 Nidahas Mawatha in Colombo 07.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Education Akila Viraj Kariyasam to vest about one hectare of the land in which this building is located as a free grant instead of the lease arrangement that existed so far so that the institution could carry out its services better since most of its activities are being carried out on a non-commercial basis.
12. Electrification of the Urban Railway Network
The Cabinet of Ministers approved a joint proposal made by the Hon. Ministers of Internal Transport R.M.Ranjith Madduma Bandara and Power and Energy Patali Champika Ranawaka to grant policy priority to electrify the Colombo urban railway service, starting with urban railways, to match contemporary global standards. As an initial step toward this, to appoint a steering committee comprising of senior officials representing Ministries of Internal Transport, Power and Energy, Ceylon Electricity Board, Department of Sri Lanka Railways, the Institution of Engineers, the Department of National Planning, and the General Treasury to study in detail the feasibility of this proposal to electrify the railway segment between Panadura and Veyangoda and also to determine appropriate strategies and projects to electrify the railway system based on the findings of the feasibility reports.
The feasibility study will be based on the preliminary feasibility assessment conducted in 2008 jointly by the Institution of Engineers of Sri Lanka, the Ceylon Electricity Board, and the Department of Sri Lanka Railways.
13. Commemoration of the National Safety Day - 2015
The commemoration of the national safety day had been conducted since 2006. Arrangements have been made to commemorate the national safety day – 2015 under the main theme “A safe Sri Lanka” and the sub theme “Let us unite to eliminate disasters” around the district of Polonnaruwa.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Disaster Management A.H.M.Fawsie to hold the national ceremony for commemoration of the national safety day this year in the new auditorium of the Polonnaruwa District Secretariat and in line with that to conduct a series of programmes with the support of the other Ministries and Departments.
14. Incorporation of the Sri Lanka Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Association
It is a long felt need to collect all the important research and development information related to the fisheries sector. Therefore actions are being taken to establish Sri Lanka Fisheries and Aquatic Research Association by the group of researchers comprised of scientists from research groups in universities and higher education institutions, ministry of fisheries and aquatic resource development and institutions coming under the ministry of fisheries and aquatic resource development to promote intellectual cooperation, work together with government and non government organizations, function as a forum and build up relationship with other scientific organizations. The Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal made by the Hon. Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Development to incorporate the Sri Lanka of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Association.
15. Completing constructions of the National Measurement Laboratory and instalment of high precision air-conditioning system therein
Construction of a laboratory, which is planned to comply with international standards as to maintain the national measurement research system accurately and to obtain the international recognition, has commenced in 2009 and the laboratory that is being constructed in Pitipana, Homagama is in its final stage. The proposal made by Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, the Minister of Food Security, to amend the total cost of the project to Rs. 2,433 million from Rs. 1,950 million considering the hike in costs of materials and to award the contract for installing a high precision air-conditioning system in the laboratory, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
16. Developing and producing of natural gas deposits found in the Mannar Basin
The proposal made by Patali Champika Ranawaka, the Minister of Power and Energy, to select a suitable investor through international competitive bidding for commercially developing the national gas deposits found in block SL 2007-01-001 in Mannar Basin and to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee to assist in the above task, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
17. Development and operational options in the East Container Terminal (Document No - 49)
Sri Lanka Ports Authority has planned to gain an advantageous situation in the region by increasing the container operation capacity under the Colombo Port Expanding Project. Civil constructions and construction of required yard facilities in the 450m long jetty is in the final stage. The proposal made by Arjuna Ranatunga, the Minister of Ports and Shipping, to call for expression of interests and issue Request for Proposals from interested parties to maintain operations of the jetty as a joint venture with a shipping company or a private terminal operator as to hold 51% of ownership by the SLPA, and to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee to make recommendations considering a successful proposal, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
18. Calling for Expression of Interests for a joint venture in Ro-Ro operations of the Multipurpose Terminal of the first phase of the Hambantota Port
Ships can easily reach East African countries and Western Australia directly from the Hambantota port which is situated between Singapore and Dubai that are two key vehicle reshipping centres close to Sri Lanka. The proposal made by Arjuna Ranatunga, the Minister of Ports and Shipping, to call for expression of interests and issue Request for Proposals from interested parties to maintain operations of the multipurpose berth of the phase 1 of the Hambantota port as a joint venture with a Ro-Ro vessel/ terminal operator, and to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee to make recommendations considering a successful proposal, considering the potentiality of developing Hambantota as a reshipping centre if the management and operations of the port is planned to attract vehicle manufacturers and transporting agents, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
19. Hiring of two harbour tugs for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority for the operations of the Colombo Port
Many container ships reach the Colombo port with the developments in the shipping field and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority should provide them an efficient towage service. Accordingly, the proposal made by Arjuna Ranatunga, the Minister of Ports and Shipping, to issue Request for Proposals to hire two tugboats for the SLPA, and to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee to make recommendations considering a successful proposal, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
20. Central Expressway
Completion of the constructions of central expressway is very important in the economic development of the country. It is proposed to implement its constructions by dividing its full length to four parts as per the recommendations of the Cabinet Subcommittee on Economic affairs.
* First part - Kadawatha to Meerigama - with the loan assistance from the China EXIM Bank;
* Second part - Meerigama to Kurunegala (with the Ambepussa link) - with the loan assistance from the Asian Development Bank;
* Third part - Pothuhera to Kandy - with the loan assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency;
* Fourth part - Kurunegala to Dambulla - through local contractors using funds collected through a local bond issue.
The proposal made by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, to approve appointment of Procurement Committees, Negotiation Committees, and Loan negotiations by the recommendations by the Cabinet Subcommittee on Economic Affairs to accelerate the commencement of the above project, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
21. National policy on Drug Prevention and Action Plan
Surveys have revealed that 1/3 of the income of low income receiving families in Sri Lanka is expended for cigarettes and liqueur, and the government is expending 22% of the total allocations for the free health service on treatments for diseased persons due to alcohol and cigarettes. A programme for gradually reducing the use of cigarettes and alcohol and illicit liqueur has been implemented by the Presidential Taskforce on Drug Prevention. The proposal made by President Maithripala Sirisena to declare 09th of July 2015 to 08th of August 2015 as the "National drug preventing month" and to unveil the National policy on Drug prevention and Action Plan, and to implement it through all ministries, departments and semi-government institutions, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
22. Reorganizing of Lanka Sathosa
Lanka Sathosa has been underperforming over a period of time. Operational lapses and weaknesses in the financial management are the main causes for this situation. Sathosa has incurred a loss of Rs. 5.1 billion with providing essential foods for low prices and by trading rice for a low price which have been imported with a high cost within the year 2014. The government is paying its attention in reorganizing the Sathosa considering the financial circumstances it has incurred on one hand and the role of the Sathosa in controlling the cost of essential goods on the other hand. Accordingly the joint proposal made by Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Finance and Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce, to sell the surplus rice stocks in the Sathosa stores to the current market under the open tender system and use its income to settle the Rs. 9.9 billion loan amounts obtained from state banks, and to implement the reorganizing of Sathosa by issuing a letter of comfort by the Treasury to a State Bank for obtaining a loan of Rs. 4 billion, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
23. Procurement of Fertilizer - 2015 (September delivery)
Providing fertilizers for farmers in a concessionary price under the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme is performed by Ceylon Fertilizer Company Ltd and Colombo Commercial Fertilizer Company Ltd which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture. The proposal made by Duminda Dissanayake, the Minister of Agriculture, to award the relevant contracts for the supply of fertilizer to be distributed in September according to the recommendations made by the Cabinet Appointed Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
