2020-11-24
News Categories : Committee News
Hon. Minister of Irrigation and State Minister of Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management Chamal Rajapaksa, addressing the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Irrigation in Parliament yesterday (23), said that compensation should be paid for the lands acquired prior to the commencement of irrigation projects.
The Minister emphasized that attention should be given towards the satisfaction of the people who are losing their lands and that they should be justly compensated, thus receiving their blessings for projects in return. Accordingly, the Minister instructed the relevant divisions to take necessary measures required for this purpose immediately.
The Minister made an emphasis on this regard when MP Dilan Perera revealed that 6000 families who had lost their lands as a result of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project had not yet been compensated.
It was made aware that the work pertaining to the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project is scheduled to be completed by the month of June next year and that the government will be able to add 120 megawatts of power generation to the national power grid, which is considered as a key component of the government's return on investment by next February.
Furthermore, the Secretary to the Ministry, Mr. Anura Dissanayake stated that all the funds necessary have been allocated for this purpose through the budget and that this project is scheduled to be opened by the month of June, supplying water to nearly 355 tanks.
Adding to it, Mr. Dissanayake further stated that the 26 km long tunnel and the 94 km long North Central Maha Ela project which will feed 1200 small tanks, proposed to be completed in 06 years, will be completed in 04 years’ time. Given that provisions have been allocated through the budget for a number of projects including the aforesaid, he ensured that a number of projects that were delayed will be completed soon.
It was made aware that the Gin and Nilwala project which supply water to the Hambantota Port and the industrial zone surrounding the Mattala Airport along the Chandrika Lake which had been inactive for five years will be restored and completed by the year 2026-2027. This project which will carry 450 million cubic meters of water which will be distributed to many areas including Embilipitiya and Hambantota.
The Secretary to the Ministry said that the Lower Malwathu Oya Water Supply Scheme will be completed soon to address the acute water shortage in many areas including Mannar.
The Minister emphasized the importance of expediting the restoration work given that a large number of irrigation systems including tanks are currently being restored with the assistance of the forces and voluntary organizations. Adding to it he said that new technological mechanisms will be utilized to solve the drinking water problem of the people in the North and steps will be taken to improve it.
Many Members of Parliament participated at this meeting drawing the attention of the Minister towards the matters arising with regards to the scope in discussion and provided suggestions with regards to the existing irrigation systems where the Minister ensured that immediate steps will be taken to address them.
Hon. State Minister of Tanks, Reservoirs and Irrigation Development related to Rural Paddy Fields Anuradha Jayaratne, Hon. State Minister of Canals and Common Infrastructure Development in Settlements in Mahaweli Zones Siripala Gamalath, MPs Faizal Cassim, Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda, Nimal Piyathissa, A. Shritharan, (Dr.) Suren Raghavan, Udayana Kirindigoda, S. M. M. Muszhaaraff, Marjan Faleel, S. M. Rasamanickam and government officials were present at this meeting.
2025-11-27
The Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Najith Indika, stated that the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board must take the lead in streamlining the procurement process and easing existing legal barriers related to importing equipment used to test drivers for drug use.These matters were taken up during the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, which met in Parliament on 20th November 2025 under the chairmanship of Hon. MP (Dr.) Najith Indika.The Committee reviewed the progress of the 2025 budget proposals and special project implementations of the Ministry of Public Security & Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils & Local Government.Officials from the Sri Lanka Police Narcotics Bureau highlighted the difficulties in conducting roadside drug tests due to the lack of necessary equipment.The Committee Chair noted that the government has prioritized eliminating drug abuse and stressed the importance of regulating drivers who operate vehicles under the influence of drugs. He further stated that essential equipment required to identify drug users must be made readily available and that legal barriers affecting their procurement process and importation should be addressed promptly.Police officials also informed the Committee that notable progress has been made in implementing budgeted programmes related to drug prevention. Officials from the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board briefed the Committee on the progress achieved under their purview as well.The Committee additionally reviewed the progress of the 2025 budget proposals of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils & Local Government. The Ministry Secretary reported significant progress and noted that many suspended development projects have now resumed.Hon. Members of Parliament G.G. Ponnambalam, Mujibur Rahman, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, and Dharmapriya Wijesinghe were also present at the committee meeting.
2025-11-27
The appointments of three chairmen of state-owned institutions were approved by the Parliamentary Committee on High Posts yesterday (Nov. 26).Accordingly, the appointments of Dr. D.B.P.H. Dissabandara as the Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka, Mr. M.D.C.A. Perera as the Chairman of the National Lotteries Board, and Eng. P.V.A. Hemalal, as the Chairman of Kahatagaha Graphite Lanka Limited, were approved by the Committee on High Posts.The meeting was chaired by Hon. Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, and a group of members of the committee participated in this meeting.
2025-11-26
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection recently (Nov. 18) reviewed 12 performance reports and annual reports of institutions functioning under the Ministry of Justice and National Integration.The Committee met in Parliament on the 18th under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Najith Indika.Accordingly, the Committee examined the 2022, 2023 and 2024 performance reports of the Registrar’s Office of the Supreme Court, the 2023 and 2024 performance reports of Judges of Supreme Court, the 2022 Annual Report of the Supreme Court Complex Management Board, the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports of the National Authority for the Protection of Victims and Witnesses of Crime, and the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Department of Community Based Corrections.In addition, the Committee reviewed the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports of the Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka, the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Department of Official Languages, the 2020,2021,2022 & 2023 Annual Reports of the Official Languages Commission, the 2022 and 2023 Annual Reports of the National Institute of Language Education and Training, the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Department of Prisons, the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Prisoners’ Welfare Fund, and the 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports of the Debt Conciliation Board.The Committee also inquired into audit observations related to these institutions, and relevant officials presented their explanations. Attention was also drawn to the current activities of these institutions, as well as existing issues and shortcomings. The Committee Chair informed officials to notify the Committee if amendments to the legal framework governing these institutions were necessary to ensure more efficient service delivery, and assured the Committee’s support in facilitating such changes.Further, regarding the 2024 Annual Performance Report of the Department of Community Based Corrections, it was noted that the Auditor General’s report highlighted the incomplete construction of the building for the Legal Aid and Community Correctional Office in Puttalam. The Committee requested a report on this matter.Accordingly, approval of the Committee was granted for all performance and annual reports reviewed, except for the 2023 and 2024 Annual Performance Reports of the Department of Community Based Corrections.Hon. Members of Parliament Mujibur Rahman, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, and Major General (Retd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara, along with a group of government officials, participated in the Committee meeting.
2025-11-26
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital has examined the operation of private universities in Sri Lanka and the issues relating to their recognition by the University Grants Commission (UGC).The matter was discussed when the Committee met in Parliament on 21 November 2025, under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage.During the discussion, the Committee Chair highlighted the emergence of institutions awarding degrees of inadequate quality and the resulting harm caused. He noted that many such institutions operate with profit-making as their primary objective rather than providing quality education. The Chair stressed the importance of ensuring that the entire process, from student admission to awarding of degrees remains under the supervision of the UGC.The Vice Chair of the UGC, expressing his views, underscored the need to establish a Higher Education Commission to regulate and monitor private universities and other degree-awarding institutions. He explained that such a body would enable the creation of comprehensive data systems and facilitate links with universities worldwide, allowing access to essential information on institutional standards and programme quality. This, he noted, would help ensure accurate decision-making when granting approval to prospective private universities. These comments were further supported by the Additional Secretary (Non-State Higher Education) of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training, and by officials of the UGC.The Committee also focused on issues related to state universities, scholarships offered for foreign degree programmes, and other related matters.Hon. Members of Parliament Krishnan Keleichelvi, Nilusha Lakmali Gamage (Attorney-at-Law), Chanaka Madugoda, Thurairasa Ravikaran, and Sunil Rajapaksha, along with officials from the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training and the UGC, were present at the discussion.
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