2021-12-03
News Categories : Committee News
The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Public Services, Provincial Councils & Local Government took to discussion the fact that although the local government bodies cannot spend money for the coming year without the passing of the budget, the Ambalangoda Urban Council has spent money without approving the budget for the year 2021. The discussion took place at Parliament yesterday (02). It was disclosed that there is a possibility of dissolving the local government body after informing the Governor by the Local Government Commissioner as it is illegal. This situation is now happening in several other local government bodies as well, the Members present said.
Hon. Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon stated that special attention will be paid to this as it sets a wrong precedent. Responsible officials including Local Government Commissioners and Governors are expected to be summoned before this Committee in the future to discuss issues related to Local Government Institutions, the Minister added.
The following matters were taken into discussion at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Public Services, Provincial Councils & Local Government held under the chairmanship of Hon. Janaka Bandara Tennakoon and Hon. State Minister of Provincial Councils & Local Government Roshan Ranasinghe yesterday (02).
Hon. Members of Parliament pointed out the need to extend the deadline for the completion of local government projects. Furthermore, it was discussed that the project should be extended to January next year as the projects could not be completed due to the lack of cement and due to the COVID situation.
The committee members also drew attention to the improper maintenance of properties such as stadiums under local government bodies. The Minister instructed the relevant officials to conduct a progress review at least once a month with the intervention of the line ministries to ascertain whether the Local Government Institutions are carrying out such activities properly.
The Line Ministry also pointed out the need to implement a special program to regulate this as the Local Government Commissioners do not take action to administer the finances of the Local Government Institutions as the Provincial Councils are inactive.
It was discussed at the Committee that the revenue of the Local Government Institutions has decreased rapidly due to the prevailing COVID situation. The committee members pointed out that the revenue generated due to the reduction in the number of employees for assessment was much less than the actual revenue due to the assessment tax.
Many issues such as the shortage of public health inspectors, pharmacists and family health workers in the Municipal Councils were also discussed at this meeting. The Secretary to the Ministry said that steps will be taken to direct the newly recruited graduates to the Local Government Institutions and as these problems have been identified, steps will be taken to resolve them expeditiously.
Committee Members Shan Vijayalal De Silva, Sudath Manjula and many Members of Parliament were also present at the meeting. Officials including the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration Mr. J J Rathnasiri were also present at the Committee meeting held.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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