2024-05-31
News Categories : Committee News
Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma said that steps will be taken to establish a separate independent commission for the disabled community in Sri Lanka. He also mentioned that this independent commission will be able to be established according to the amendments to be brought to the Act No. 28 of 1996 on the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities with the intervention of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. Also, the chair pointed out that the amendments are made in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).
According to the 2012 census of the country, 8.7 percent of the total population (nearly 1.7 million people) have been identified as persons with disabilities, of which 74 percent are not involved in any economic process and 34 percent of those children have not received any primary education. However, the chairman explained that when looking at these data according to each district and region, there are differences. According to the available data, the highest number of disabled people in Sri Lanka is recorded in the Nuwara Eliya district, the chairman said. Also, he emphasized the issues of lack of accurate data system containing information regarding persons with disabilities all over the island.
Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma said this when the special third program to discuss information about the challenges, issues, opportunities faced by persons with disabilities and the measures and proposals that can be taken to properly address them was held in Nuwara Eliya recently (May 27) under the auspices of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities. The programme was held under the patronage of the chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Persons with Disabilities Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma and the Member of Parliament Hon. C.B Rathnayake, Hon. Nimal Piyathissa, Hon K.P.P Kumarasiri and a group of officials including the District Secretariate of Nuwara Eliya Mr. Nandana Galabada were present on this occasion. Also, Consultant of National Democratic Institute (NDI) Mrs. Shyama Salgadu and Chair of Disability Organizations Joint Front Mrs. Rasanjali Pathirage participated.
People with disabilities living in Nuwara Eliya district, representatives of organizations representing the disabled community in Nuwara Eliya district, officials of several institutions that provide education for children with disabilities in Nuwara Eliya district, liaison officers of public representatives in the area also attended the event.
The necessary information and proposals for establishing a coordination mechanism regarding streamlining the process of providing education to children with disabilities, improving access facilities for persons with disabilities in Nuwara Eliya district, as well as improving the inclusion of the disabled community into the country's governance structure and society were discussed at length.
The disabled community and organizations who participated in the discussion presented their views, suggestions and issues. The issues such as providing the necessary facilities for disabled people working as small entrepreneurs, difficulties in accessing schools and care centers for disabled children due to the topography of Nuwara Eliya district, and preventing disabled children from being abused were discussed.
In order to further streamline the functioning of government-aided schools for children with disabilities in Sri Lanka, it was also suggested that the Assisted Schools and Training Colleges (Supplementary Provisions) Act (No. 8 of 1961) should be amended.
Meanwhile, attention was also paid to the issues regarding the lack of public transportation facilities for the disabled community. Accordingly, the chairman stated that arrangements have been made to import buses to be added to the Sri Lankan transport system soon and necessary measures will be taken to facilitate the transportation of the disabled community.
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.
2025-11-27
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.
2025-11-26
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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