2026-03-31
News Categories : Committee News
A Parliamentary delegation from the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, led by Hon. S. M. Marikkar, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee, undertook a Parliamentary Study Tour to New Delhi and Mumbai from 22nd to 27th March 2026, following an invitation extended by the High Commission of India.
The Sri Lankan delegation comprised the Chief Opposition Whip Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka, Members of Parliament Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, Hon. Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Hon. K. Ilankumaran, Hon. Chathura Galappaththi, Hon. Ravindra Bandara, Hon. Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Hon. Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha, Hon. (Mrs.) Geetha Herath, Attorney at Law, Hon. Kins Nelson and Hon. Dharmapriya Wijesinghe. Parliament staff members attached to the office of the Sectoral Oversight Committees who were also present included Assistant Director (Administration) Mr. K. P. Chandana, Principal Officer Ms. S. W. T. R. De Silva and Parliamentary Officer Ms. W. K. A. M. M. M. Arthanayaka.
The delegation arrived in New Delhi on 22nd March 2026 and commenced official engagements on the following day. The programme included a meeting with the Foreign Secretary of India and a floral tribute at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament House Complex. The delegation also paid a courtesy call on the Hon. Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
An orientation session on the Indian Parliamentary system was conducted, providing valuable insights into institutional structures and legislative processes. The delegation further held productive interactions with the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, as well as the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs.
On 24th March 2026, the delegation participated in a series of technical and policy-focused engagements, including a session on India’s “PM Gati Shakti” National Master Plan. Visits were made to the National Highways Authority of India and the Solar Energy Corporation of India, alongside discussions with the Confederation of Indian Industry. The delegation also engaged with the India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group, further strengthening bilateral Parliamentary relations.
Continuing its programme on 25th March 2026, the delegation visited the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to study urban mass transit systems and best practices in public transportation. This was followed by an interaction with the New Delhi Municipal Council on Smart City initiatives, focusing on urban governance, digital infrastructure, and sustainable urban development. The delegation also met with officials of the Jal Jeevan Mission under the Ministry of Jal Shakti to discuss large-scale water supply management and rural infrastructure development.
The programme in Mumbai included visits to key infrastructure and development sites such as the Atal Setu Bridge and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, as well as the Navi Mumbai Airport. The delegation also visited the Power Exchange India Limited and met with the Hon. Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
On 27th March 2026, the delegation visited prominent locations including the Gateway of India and Elephanta Caves. The programme also included a meeting with the Hon. Speaker of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha and discussions with senior officials responsible for investment promotion and industries, prior to their departure to Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s participation in this Parliamentary Study Tour underscored its continued commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation with India and advancing institutional capacity, knowledge exchange, and best practices in infrastructure and strategic development through sustained Parliamentary engagement.
2026-07-31
Plans are underway to establish a new National Handicrafts Authority by 2027 through the integration of the Department of Textile Industries, the National Crafts Council, the National Design Centre, and Laksala, it was revealed at the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).The proposed authority aims to transform Sri Lanka's traditional textile and handicrafts sector into a competitive industry by integrating it with modern fashion, design, and technology while targeting international markets.These matters were discussed at length when the Committee on Public Accounts met recently in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim. The Committee reviewed the Auditor General's triennial reports relating to the Department of Textile Industries for the period 2021–2023, the Auditor General's report for 2024, and the Department's current performance, with particular attention to its progress, challenges, and the proposed restructuring programme. During the discussions, officials stated that the Government intends to develop the textile industry not only as an important component of Sri Lanka's cultural heritage but also as an economically viable sector aligned with modern design, technology, and evolving market demands.Officials further informed the Committee that efforts are being made to attract more young people to the sector by expanding higher education and technical training opportunities through the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel (SLITA).The Committee also discussed the Department's human resource shortages, including vacancies for internal auditors and accountants, the suspension of the recruitment of textile instructors at the provincial level, and the resulting impact on training programmes.It was revealed that 720 students had enrolled in the Department's training courses between 2021 and 2025, of whom only 456 successfully completed their programmes. Accordingly, the dropout rate exceeds 40%. The Committee was also informed that, in certain instances, the Government had incurred expenditure ranging from Rs. 700,000 to Rs. 1.1 million per trainee.The Committee further inquired into several issues, including the underutilization of textile machinery purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic, the inadequate use of facilities at the Katubedda Training Centre, and the failure to make effective use of the Department's tourist bungalows as income-generating assets.The Committee emphasized that Sri Lanka's textile industry should evolve into a competitive sector that preserves the country's cultural heritage while embracing modern technology, innovative design, and international market opportunities. It further stressed the importance of implementing the proposed restructuring programme within the stipulated timeframe while ensuring the efficient utilisation of public resources.The meeting was attended by Hon. Committee Members, Hector Appuhamy, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Lal Premanath, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, T.K. Jayasundara, Ajantha Gammaddhege, Chandana Sooriyaarachchi, and Sunil Rathnasiri, together with a number of senior public officials.
2026-07-31
A Parliamentary Roundtable Discussion under the theme "Financing the Care Economy: The Role of Parliament", organised by the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus with the technical support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), was held in Colombo recently under the patronage of Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne and Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.Delivering the welcome address, Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus and Hon. Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Mrs. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, highlighted the importance of strengthening Sri Lanka's care economy and noted that her Ministry is working closely with all relevant institutions to advance this initiative.Addressing the gathering as the Chief Guest, Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne emphasised that recognising and strengthening the care economy is essential to achieving sustainable national development. He further stated that Parliament has a responsibility to support, through the legislative and budgetary processes, policies that promote gender equality, social inclusion and equitable economic development.Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya noted that investing in social care services, including childcare, elder care and support services for persons with disabilities, is not only a social responsibility but also a strategic investment that expands labour force participation, creates employment opportunities and strengthens the national economy.Discussions also focused on how gender-responsive budgeting could be utilised to address barriers to economic growth and ensure that investments in social care are reflected more effectively and strategically in future national budgets.The technical sessions were facilitated by Dr. Gayathri Lokuge, Senior Researcher at the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), who delivered a presentation on Sri Lanka's social care policies and gender-responsive budgeting.Former Director of the UK Women's National Commission and current Chair of the UK's Women's Budget Group, Janet Veitch OBE, delivered a presentation titled "Invest in Women, Grow the Economy", sharing international experiences on how investment in the care economy can increase women's economic participation, generate employment, promote economic growth and strengthen gender-responsive budgeting.Representatives of local policy research institutions also presented recommendations on future budget allocations to strengthen social care. These included proposals for a national time-use survey, new funding mechanisms for assistive technology for persons with disabilities, the expansion of elder care services, and after-school care programmes for children.Hon. Members of Parliament, policy experts and officials of the Ministry of Finance also engaged in extensive discussions on the policy priorities and resource requirements necessary to strengthen investments in the care economy through future national budgets.During the discussion, a representative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) stated that the Ten-Year Action Plan on the Care Economy, developed by the National Social Care Working Group co-chaired by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, and the Ministry of Labour, based on the second strategic pillar on social care under the National Social Protection Strategy formulated in line with the National Social Protection Policy, is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers shortly for approval. She further noted that the issues discussed at the roundtable are comprehensively addressed in the Action Plan and that it has been developed through an extensive stakeholder consultation process with the technical support of the ILO.The event was attended by Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees Hemali Weerasekara, Chair of the Committee on Public Finance, Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva, Country Director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), Mr. Sanje Wignaraja, Members of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus, Hon. Members of Parliament, policymakers, public officials, researchers and development partners.
2026-07-30
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development held extensive discussions on the Sri Lanka Ports Authority's (SLPA) current operational performance, the progress of its development projects, financial performance for 2026, the implementation of recommendations previously made by the Committee, and the Authority's 2024 Annual Report.The discussion took place when the Committee met in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of parliament S. M. Marikkar.The Committee reviewed the financial progress and profitability recorded by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority during the past six months and discussed measures required to sustain this positive performance.Particular attention was paid to the growing regional and domestic competition faced by the Port of Colombo. The Committee sought clarifications from officials regarding the competitive pressures arising from the expansion of India's Vizhinjam Port, the investment made in that port by one of the world's leading shipping companies, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), and plans to increase the capacity of the Port of Hambantota.The Committee also held detailed discussions on the progress of development projects aimed at expanding the capacity of the Port of Colombo, the reasons for delays in implementing these projects, issues encountered in procurement and tender procedures, and the financial impact of these delays on the Government.The Committee emphasized the need to conduct a proper audit into the causes of the delays in order to identify the parties responsible. It further stressed the importance of implementing more efficient procurement and project management mechanisms to prevent similar delays in the future.The development of regional ports, including Hambantota, Galle and Kankesanthurai, strengthening related infrastructure, and enhancing local capacity by increasing the participation of domestic construction companies, consultants and technical professionals in port development projects were also discussed.At the conclusion of the meeting, the Committee underscored the need to expedite measures to ensure that Sri Lanka Ports Authority projects are completed within the stipulated timeframes, strengthen institutional accountability and transparency, and further enhance the Authority's efficiency and profitability as a state-owned enterprise.The meeting was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament Ajith P. Perera, Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, Chathura Galappaththi, Ravindra Bandara, Dhanushka Ranganath, and Shantha Padma Kumara, as well as the Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation, the Chairman and Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority, and other relevant officials.
2026-07-30
The Hon. Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr. Susil Ranasinghe stated that action will be taken, based on the recommendations of a committee appointed to examine housing projects that were commenced during previous administrations but left incomplete due to various reasons.The matter was discussed at the meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Housing, Construction and Water Supply, held in Parliament under the chairmanship of the Minister.The Minister said that consideration is being given to allocating funds through the 2027 Budget to implement a new programme to complete these housing projects.He noted that a number of housing projects initiated in previous years had been abandoned midway because the loans and grant funding allocated for them had not been fully disbursed. According to the Minister, there are nearly 5,000 such incomplete housing units.Accordingly, a five-member committee, co-chaired by two former Secretaries to the Ministry, has been appointed to identify housing units that are in a condition suitable for use and to make recommendations on the future course of action regarding those projects.The Minister stated that the committee has already commenced its work by gathering information on the relevant housing projects, identifying houses that are fit for occupation, and formulating recommendations on the measures to be taken.He further said that final decisions regarding the abandoned housing projects will be made based on the recommendations submitted by the committee.The Minister also announced that assistance will be provided next year to families requiring support to complete partially constructed houses. It is expected that approximately 2,000 families will benefit from this programme.Meanwhile, Members of Parliament who attended the Committee meeting raised issues relating to the housing and water supply sectors in their respective electorates.The Ministry also agreed to convene a special meeting, with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, to discuss housing-related issues, including housing projects for low-income families in the Colombo District.
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