2025-08-29
News Categories : Committee News
A gazette notification containing regulations that make it mandatory for passengers traveling in passenger buses on expressways to wear seat belts is scheduled to be issued on August 31, said Hon. Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House, Bimal Rathnayake.
Minister Rathnayake state this during a recent meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation, held in Parliament under his chairmanship.
Further elaborating, the Minister explained that this initiative is being implemented as a key component of the “Clean Sri Lanka” program. He also noted that a grace period of approximately three months will be given for the installation of seat belts in school transport buses, office transport services, leisure tour buses, and other passenger buses operating on expressways.
The Minister further pointed out that the price of seat belts, which was around Rs. 2,000 previously, has now risen to between Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 7,000. He stressed that this price increase should be monitored by the Consumer Affairs Authority.
He also mentioned that public opinion had been sought regarding making seat belts mandatory in long-distance buses, and that almost all respondents expressed their support for the measure. Accordingly, the government plans to implement this regulation for long-distance buses in the near future as well. This survey was conducted by ‘Citra Innovation Lab’, collecting data from approximately 2,100 individuals, including passengers, drivers, and private bus owners. A report based on this data has also been submitted by the organization.
The Minister also announced that, along with the necessary legal amendments, a new system will be introduced to inspect and rate the condition of vehicle spare parts before vehicles are allowed onto expressways. The relevant gazette notification will be issued in due course. He further emphasized that vehicles with tires that do not meet the required safety standards and specifications will not be allowed on expressways.
The Minister also revealed that necessary arrangements have been completed to establish a welfare fund for drivers in the private transport sector, including those operating three-wheelers and vans. A draft bill related to this will be presented to Parliament for approval in the near future.
The committee also discussed creating a proper mechanism for parking long-distance buses and buses operating on expressways.
Additionally, two sub-committees were appointed during the meeting to submit proposals and recommendations on updating railway services and necessary upgrades in port infrastructure. Members for these sub-committees were also nominated.
Furthermore, the construction of the Kadawatha–Meerigama expressway section, scheduled to commence in September, was also discussed, including the completion of preparatory works. Issues raised by Hon. Members of Parliament were also taken into account, and relevant recommendations were provided.
Several Hon. Members of Parliament and government officials also participated in this committee meeting.
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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