2025-12-05
News Categories : Committee News
A joint programme by the Ministry of Finance and the banks to provide loan facilities for new entrepreneurs is planned to be launched in January next year, Hon. Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunneththi, stated.
He expressed these views during the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, held in Parliament on 25.11.2025, under his chairmanship.
Commenting further, the hon. minister pointed that Rs. 80,000 million has been allocated by the Budget for this year to provide loans for new entrepreneurs, and that this joint programme will be implemented to distribute those funds effectively among new entrepreneurs. He further stated that a programme is expected to be held in January next year to inform Hon. Members of Parliament about the sectors for which these loan facilities will be provided, as well as the overall process relating to the provision of these loans.
The Hon. Minister also stated that a National Database for Industrialists has been initiated for the purpose of collecting information relating to all industrialists in the country under a single system. Commenting on this, an official of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development said that the necessary promotional activities will be carried out to inform all entrepreneurs about registering in this database, and that registration will enable them to conveniently access the required services.
Further, views were expressed during the committee meeting regarding the provision of collateral-free loan facilities to craftsmen registered with the National Crafts Council.
The officials of the National Paper Company Limited also presented details to the committee regarding the current progress of the mill. They stated that after rectifying the shortcomings that had existed, the mill has been able to increase its monthly production capacity from the previous 150–180 metric tons to 400 metric tons.
In addition, the Hon. Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunneththi, presented information regarding the National Advisory Framework that has been developed for issuing excavation permits in the country. He further stated that, with the objective of introducing a more systematic process in place of the currently disorganized issuance of excavation permits, this advisory framework will be introduced in January next year.
The meeting of the committee was attended by the Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, (Mrs.) Hemali Weerasekara, Hon. Ministers, Hon. Deputy Ministers, Hon. Members of Parliament, and officials of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development.
2025-12-09
A special Committee meeting to consider Regulations under Section 71 of the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002The Committee on Public Finance (COPF) which met on 03 December 2025, considered several important matters, including the regulations issued under the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 05 of 2015, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2452/39 of 04 September 2025, the Annual Work Programme for 2026 of the National Audit Office, and the Final Report prepared under Standing Order 121(5)(ii) on the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2026. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Hon. Member of Parliament.During the discussion on the NMRA regulations, the Committee recommended enhancing system transparency and visibility in the medicine registration process. Accordingly, the Regulations under the National Medicines Regulatory Authority Act, No. 05 of 2015 published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2452/39 was approved by the Committee following consideration.The Committee also considered the 2026 Annual Work Programme of the National Audit Office. According to the Programme, 3,508 audits will be carried out in 2026. These include 3,484 Financial Audits, 11 Performance Audits, 1 Environmental Audit, 12 Special AuditsAs presented, audits of Samurdhi Community-Based Banks and Samurdhi Community-Based Bank Societies have been newly assigned to the Auditor General from 2026 onwards. The Committee raised concerns regarding the staff capacity required to carry out the Samurdhi audits. The acting Auditor General stated that an additional 10%–15% staff would be required beyond the current cadre. He further informed the Committee that pilot audits are being conducted through regional offices and will continue until the end of February, after which the actual capacity requirements whether through recruitment or outsourcing will be determined.It was further noted that the annual work Programme will be forwarded to Parliament, as provided for in the Audit Act, which requires that any review or recommendation be submitted to the Speaker and the relevant authorities. Followed by extensive discussion, the Committee agreed to make an observation to the Speaker that it supports the possible outsourcing of the additional Samurdhi-related audit work, subject to the Auditor General’s evaluation. Accordingly, the Committee directed the National Audit Office to do a pilot project and report back to the Committee by the end of February 2026.In addition, COPF deliberated on the Final Report prepared under Standing Order 121(5)(ii) relating to the Appropriation Bill for the financial year 2026. The report reflected the Committee’s observations and recommendations following its review of ministerial budget proposals and financial allocations for the upcoming year.In extension, the Committee on Public Finance, under the Chairmanship of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Hon. Member of Parliament also conducted a special meeting today, 05th December 2025 to consider the Resolution for the provision of allocations for restoration of the disrupted lives of the people affected by the emergency disaster situation through a supplementary estimate. This resolves that, an additional sum not exceeding Rupees Fifty Thousand Million (Rs. 50,000,000,000) shall be payable out of the Consolidated Fund of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka or any other fund or finances possessed by the Government or any loan obtained by the Government at the discretion of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, for the services of the financial year commencing on January 01, 2025 and ending on December 31, 2025 and the manner that, the said sum may be expended.Moreover, Regulations under Section 71 of the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002 published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2460/44 which was also approved following consideration. Hon. Members of Parliament who are Members of the Committee on Public Finance were present at these Committee meetings held.
2025-12-09
Annual reports and financial reports of several universities and higher education institutions coming under the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education were considered at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital.This was taken into consideration when the Committee met recently (Nov. 26) at Parliament under the Chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage.Accordingly, at the meeting of the Committee held, the Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Maritime University for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of the Sri Lanka Institute of Advanced Technological Education for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of The Open University of Sri Lanka for the years 2022 and 2023, the Annual Reports of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts for the years 2022 and 2023, and the Annual Report and Accounts Report of the Postgraduate Institute of English of The Open University of Sri Lanka for the year 2023 were considered and approved.Further, matters relating to the recruitment of Development Officers serving in schools to the Teacher Service, as well as issues concerning the recruitment of Principals, were also discussed at the Committee.Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Hon. Members of Parliament (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Aboobucker Athambawa, Thurairasa Ravikaran, and Sunil Rajapaksha, along with a group of officials, were among those who participated on this occasion.
2025-12-05
Approval of the Committee on Public Finance has been granted for a Bill and six Gazette Extraordinary notifications.These approvals were granted at the meeting of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) held in Parliament on 02.12.2025, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva.Accordingly, after extensive discussion, the Strategic Development Project (Amendment) Bill received the approval of the Committee on Public Finance.Moreover, approval of the Committee was granted for the Regulations issued under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969, published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2459/46, and for the Regulation under Section 6 of the Value Added Tax Act, No. 14 of 2002, published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2461/43.Approval of the Committee was also given for the Resolutions under the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962, published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 2457/06 and Gazette Extraordinary No. 2461/40.In addition, approval of the Committee was granted for the Order under Section 3 of the Ports and Airports Development Levy Act, No. 18 of 2011, published in the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2461/44, and for the Order under Sections 2 and 3 of the Special Commodity Tax Act No. 48 of 2007, published in Gazette Notification No. 2457/05.Hon. Deputy Ministers Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Nishantha Jayaweera, and Hon. Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake, among others, participated in this meeting.
2025-12-05
International cooperation should be sought for the development of the agriculture and plantation sectors, Chair of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability, Hon. Member of Parliament Hector Appuhamy, stated.He expressed these views when the Sectoral Oversight Committee met in Parliament on the 24th and 26th November to review the annual and performance reports of institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, under his chairmanship.The Committee Chair further noted that many professionals living abroad are willing to contribute to the development of Sri Lanka’s agriculture and livestock sectors. He emphasized that authorities should actively engage such parties to strengthen these sectors. He also stated that the Committee expects to intervene in addressing land-related issues arising in the course of agricultural development.The Committee held extensive discussions on the annual and performance reports of several institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and approved. Meanwhile, the Chair underscored the need for conducting research on tea and rubber crops in the plantation sector and noted that foreign expertise may also be sought in this regard. The annual and performance reports of the institutions under the and the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure were also reviewed and approved. Hon. MPs Roshan Akmeemana, Kitnan Selvaraj, Attorney-at-Law Chithral Fernando, Gnanamuththu Srineshan, Kings Nelson, along with several officials, participated in the meeting.
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