2025-03-07
News Categories : Committee News
Hon. Minister Samantha Viddyarathna stated that 36,000 acres for new coconut cultivation have been planned for this year, with 16,000 acres allocated to the Northern Coconut Triangle and the remaining 20,000 acres designated for other regions.
The Hon. Minister made this statement during the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting on Plantation and Community Infrastructure, held under his Chairmanship at Parliament on 05.03.2025. Hon. Deputy Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Sundaralingam Pradeep, was also participated in the meeting.
To enhance coconut cultivation, the hon. minister announced that 2.5 million coconut seedlings will be produced this year. Furthermore, from the 55,000 metric tons of MOP fertilizer received free of charge from Russia, 27,500 metric tons are being utilized to produce 56,000 metric tons of mixed fertilizer for coconut cultivation. Through this initiative, fertilizer subsidies will be provided to coconut estate owners with less than five acres of plantations. Accordingly, a 50 kg sack of this mixed fertilizer, which is valued at approximately LKR 9,500 in the market, will be made available to coconut farmers nationwide at a subsidized price of LKR 4,000 by the end of this month.
Additionally, under the Indian Aid program, 4,700 estate-sector houses are expected to be constructed this year as part of the 10,000-housing project. The Hon. Minister emphasized that while there were previous reports of political favoritism in the selection of housing beneficiaries, this time, the process will be conducted with greater transparency and without political bias. Also, priority will be given to families residing in landslide-prone areas, he said. Furthermore, LKR 1.3 billion in domestic funds is expected to be allocated for the improvement of estate housing and related infrastructure development.
Addressing the Committee, Secretary to the Ministry, Mr.Prabath Chandrakeerthi, presented an overview of the ministry’s operations and future plans. He stated that approximately 30,000 hectares of underutilized plantation company lands have been identified and that steps are being taken to allocate these lands to investors.
Moreover, the secretary reported that Sri Lanka’s total tea production in 2024 was approximately 262 million kg, while the target for 2025 is set at 275 million kg. He also noted a decline in rubber exports despite Sri Lanka being the home of the world’s first rubber research institute and announced that the target for 2025 is 78 million kg of rubber exports. Additionally, the goal for coconut production in 2025 is set at 2,875 million, he said.
During the meeting, discussions were also held regarding the threat of declining quality in Sri Lankan tea and cinnamon due to excessive use of glyphosate and other factors, highlighting the need for greater attention to this issue.
Members of Parliament also raised concerns regarding the quality standards of tea fertilizers, the promotion of cashew cultivation, and other issues relevant to the ministry.
The meeting was attended by ministers, deputy ministers, members of Parliament, and officials from institutions under the Ministry of Plantation and Rural Infrastructure.
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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