2023-01-12
News Categories : Committee News
It was revealed at the Committee on Public Finance held recently (Jan. 10) that a problematic situation has arisen due to the refusal of Samurdhi officials to collect data to prepare a social welfare register, identifying those who deserve benefits with transparency.
This was revealed when the orders of the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2302/23 published under the Welfare Benefits Act No. 24 of 2002 were taken into consideration at the Committee of Public Finance under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament Hon. Dr. Harsha De Silva.
It was further revealed that it is a proposal of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to carry out the activities transparently without corruption in the payment of Samurdhi and welfare benefits and accordingly the responsibility for this is assigned to the Welfare Benefits Board. Thus, the orders were published in this gazette for the necessary arrangements for the data collection process.
Accordingly, the Chairman of the Welfare Benefits Board Mr. B. Wijeratne said that Trade unions of Samurdhi Department officers, Grama Niladhari’s and Economic Development officers have informed that they would not carry out the next phase of this programme until measures are taken to amend the section 21 and 22 of the Welfare Benefits Act as even their employment could be lost in the event if the applicants would not reveal their information truly and correctly at the enumeration.
He pointed out that the officers who enter false data are also subject to punishment by this section 21 and 22, thus they have refused to collect this data until those sections are amended.
Acceptance of initial applications to identify suitable individuals/families for receiving welfare benefit payments had recently ended. The Chairman of the Welfare Benefits Board said that mobile application was also introduced to collect secondary data by visiting the houses of the applicants who have applied for welfare benefits.
It was discussed in the committee that nearly 40% of Samurdhi beneficiaries are unsuitable people, as revealed in a World Bank survey. Accordingly, it was discussed that there are some corrupt officials who issue Samurdhi allowance to unfit people and get a percentage of it. It was emphasized in the committee that it is essential to prepare a register with the correct data in order to carry out these welfare benefit payments with transparency.
The committee also recommended that the National Identity Card should be made mandatory in the payment of welfare benefits. The committee pointed out that it is not acceptable that every citizen cannot be given a national identity card in a background where technology is so advanced and it will be an important decision to stop fraudulent activities.
Thus, the committee emphasized the need to solve this problem as soon as possible to create a culture, free from corruption and fraud, as the delay in preparing this register may lead to delay in obtaining the assistance of the International Monetary Fund. (IMF)
Accordingly, the committee which gave approval for this gazette advised the higher officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Chairman of the Welfare Benefits Board to discuss the matter urgently and arrive at a solution. Also, the committee recommended to take decisions related to carrying out these data collection activities promptly by following an alternative method.
Also, Hon. (Dr.) Harshada Silva, instructed the relevant parties to report the progress to the Committee within two weeks.
State Minister Hon. (Dr) Suren Raghavan, Members of Parliament Hon. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Chandima Weerakkodi, Hon. Sahan Pradeep Withana and Hon. Madhura Withanage were also present at this occasion.
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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