2022-06-15
News Categories : Committee News
Special attention to the proposed Animal Welfare Bill with the support of the Government as well as NGOs and Animal Welfare Groups under a lengthy consultation process was given at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Agriculture held recently (10) under the chairmanship of Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation.
The main purpose of this Act is to show kindness, compassion and due diligence to animals and to ensure the protection, welfare and well-being of animals and to protect them from cruelty to animals. Thus, Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera requested during the Committee that further attention should be paid to the matters raised pertaining to the Bill and if any amendments are made following discussion, such amendments to be submitted.
Furthermore, as people are now more interested in-home gardening in the face of the current food crisis, the importance of further encouraging people to cultivate home gardening as well as the use of land in all government offices for cultivation was given attention too during the committee meeting.
The Minister said that it is planned to deploy Army personnel, Civil Defense Force as well as approximately 3,000 prisoners to make this a success and further discussions are being held in this regard.
The Committee also observed the use of unused paddy lands in all areas including the Colombo District as well as reclamation of paddy lands, construction of buildings and irrigation problems. Accordingly, it is important to establish a committee at the district level and prepare a proper document regarding cultivable paddy lands and non-cultivable lands, the Minister said.
The Committee also drew attention to the importance of encouraging rural and urban youth to cultivate fallow paddy lands and briefed the officers on the preparation and implementation of a proper plan for this purpose and the assistance of the Agricultural Research Officers for the continuous cultivation of lands which are not currently cultivated, said Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister, at the Committee.
Attention was also drawn to the provision of fertilizer from India for paddy and maize in July and further stated that the distribution of fertilizer will be done in a planned manner as well as identifying priorities.
The Committee also drew attention to the damage to the crop and stated that a progressive report should be prepared in this regard. The Committee pointed out the importance of conducting agro clinics island wide to impart the knowledge required by the people, especially in home gardening activities, and the officials should take active steps accordingly.
The Secretary to the Ministry explained to the House that he was ready to bring to the attention of all Members of Parliament the “Ekwa Wawamu – Rata Dinawamu” program as a program to encourage the cultivation of uncultivated lands and there is an opportunity to make proposals in this regard.
Hon. Members of Parliament Hon. Cader Mastan, Hon. Tharaka Balasuriya, Hon. Sivagnanam Sridharan, Hon. Mohomad Muzammil, Hon. Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Hon. Madhura Withanage, Hon. Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha and officials were present at the Committee meeting held.
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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