2020-11-27
News Categories : Committee News
Stern regulatory measures have been taken to improve the quality of reclaim tea Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said in Parliament yesterday (26).
He was responding to a question raised by Parliamentarian Udayana C. Kiridiyagoda regarding the quality of reclaim tea which is commonly known as refused tea at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Plantation.
Speaking further the Minister said that all tea processing factories will be subjected to an inspection on required standards and licenses will be issued only to those factories which meet the 80% limit.
Speaking further the Minister said that a standard inspection is being carried out in every tea refining factory. Only factories that meet the 80% limit will be licensed
Inspections are being carried out and license have been issued for only two factories in the Ambalangoda area and in Gampola area license have been issued for only 26 out of 172 factories , the Minister said.
The Minister further stated that although seven days have been given for transportation previously, it has now been reduced to two days and these will be inspected by the Tea Board during loading and unloading.
The Minister stressed that it is gratifying that the price of rubber in Sri Lanka has increased and that the Ministry is focusing on uplifting the rubber industry. Restrictions have been imposed on the import of rubber, since the import of rubber cannot be stopped completely said the Minister.
He also said that a large-scale tire factory is planned to be set up in Hambantota at a cost of US $ 300 million and this will be a great benefit to the rubber manufacturers. The Minister also said that the Board of Investment had approved last week a project to be launched with the Chinese company 'Hainan Rubber Group' worth US $ 1.8 billion, which is expected to be the largest investment in the plantation industry by 2021.
The Minister said that, the Ministry is now focusing on further regulating the sale of coconut lands since the sale of coconut lands has become a serious crisis. The Minister also drew attention to the need to formulate a methodology for obtaining a license to cut down coconut trees.
MP Palani Digambaram pointed out the importance of finding a proper solution to the problem of wasp attacks on the people in the plantation areas. The Minister said that solutions will be provided for this as soon as possible.
The Gal-oya Plantations (Pvt) Limited, which is 51% owned by the government, has been involved in a number of irregularities in the recent past and it is important to look into this matter immediately, said MP Madura Vithanage. Minister Ramesh Pathirana stated that the Ministry will pay immediate attention with regard to this matter.
In addition, attention was drawn to the development of palmyra cultivation in the Northern Province, the development of kithul cultivation in the country and the establishment of a system to provide relief to farmers for the preservation of minor export crops.
State Minister of Company Estate Reforms, Tea and Rubber Estates Related Crops Cultivation and Factories Modernization and Tea and Rubber Export Promotion Kanaka Herath , State Minister of Coconut, Kithul and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing & Export Diversification Arundika Fernando , State Minister of Development of Minor Crops including Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Betel Related Industries and Export Promotion Janaka Wakkumbura Members of Parliament Palani Digambaran,, Udayana Kiridiyagoda and a number of 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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