02. Promoting conservation of biodiversity in environmentally sensitive land tracts and maintenance of services of ecosystem (Document No - 08)

The above project was granted to Sri Lanka by the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility with the view of conservation of biodiversity when development programmes are implemented in environmentally important areas by declaring environmentally sensitive areas and to identify three pilot areas to establish and maintain such a method. The proposal made by HE the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to implement the above project at a cost of US$ 2.62 million in following pilot areas within a period of five years, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

*        Kalawewa environmentally sensitive area – Ipalogama, Palagala, Kekirawa, and Galnewa Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Anuradhapura District

*        Wilpattu environmentally sensitive area – Vanathavilluwa Divisional Secretariat Division in Puttalam District

     03. Ratification of the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Document No - 09)

The International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was adopted by the United Nations in 2006 according to the universal declaration of Human Rights and international conventions on human rights. Sri Lanka has signed the convention in 2007 and the proposal made by S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare, to ratify the convention for the benefit of Sri Lankan disabled persons, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

     04. Ratification of the Employment Policy 122 of 1964 of the International Labour Organization (Document No - 10)

Convention C 122 on Employment Policy and Recommendation R 122 was adopted by the ILO in 1964. The National Human Resources and Employment Policy of Sri Lanka launched in 2013 provides the basic framework of the above policy. Ratification of the policy is important in labour standards as well as in social policy and governance. Therefore, the proposal made by W.D.J. Seneviratne, Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations, to ratify the above policy, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

    05. Increase of the limit of monetary value in respect of the disputes to be referred to compulsory mediation (Document No - 21)

The limit of Rs. 25,000 adopted by the article 7 (a) of Mediation Board Act No 72 of 1988 for disputes on Mobile or Stable assets or loans, losses or requests that should be referred to the Mediation Board  was amended as Rs. 250,000 by the Mediation Board (Amendment() Act No 4 of 2011. The proposal made by Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice, to amend the above act to increase the said limit of monetary value to Rs. 500,000 to suit the present needs, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

  06. Supply, installing and commissioning of an Air Traffic Management System for the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (Document No - 33)

The proposal made by Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to call for international competitive bids for supply, installation and entrust of the above system at an estimated cost of Rs. 320 million to cater present requirements, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

    07. Completion of the expanding of Narahenpita Police Hospital (Document No - 36)

The proposal made by Sagala Ratnayake, Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development, to award the contract for completion of above work as per the recommendations made by the Cabinet Appointed Standard Procurement Committee, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

   08. Memorandums of Understanding expected to be signed between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Government of Pakistan (Document No – 38, 39 and 40)

The proposals made by Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs and Dr. Harsha de Silva, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, to sign the following agreements during the official visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Hon. Navaz Sharif in January 2016, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

*        Agreement between the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs and Ministry of Youth Affairs in the Republic of Pakistan on cooperation in the youth development field

*        MoU on exchange of statistical and census data between Sri Lanka and Pakistan

*        MoU on science, technology and innovations between the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research in Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Science and Technology in Pakistan

*        MoU between the National Science Foundation in Sri Lanka and the Science Foundation in Pakistan scientific and technological cooperation

*        MoU between the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and Export Development Board of Sri Lanka

*        Agreement between the two countries on the cooperation in the health sector.

*         MoU between Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the cooperation in the cultural field

*         MoU between the Institute of Fashion and Design in Pakistan and Gem and Jewellery Research Training Institute of Sri Lanka

*         MoU between Pakistan and Sri Lanka concerning cooperation in the exchange of financial intelligence related to money laundering and terrorism financing

*         Agreement between Pakistan and Sri Lanka for bilateral cooperation on prevention and deterrence of money laundering and terrorist financing

    09. Award of Contract for the implementation of proposed works to upgrade Tissamaharama Water Supply Scheme (Document No - 41)

Cabinet has approved the proposal made by Sajith Premadasa, Minister of Housing and Construction to upgrade the Tissamaharama Water Supply Project on 18-11-2015 at a cost of Rs. 393 million. Hence, the proposal made by Rauff Hakeem, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, to undertake works that come under the scope of the Water Supply and Drainage Board by itself and to assign other duties to the State Development and Construction Corporation, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

    10. Increase of Wages in Private Sector Employees (Document No - 44)

The proposal made by Ravindra Samaraweera, Acting Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations, to obtain approval for the Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman regarding the increase of wages of private sector employees as recommended by budget 2016, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

  11. The Law to introduce National Minimum Wage for employees of the private sector (Document No - 45)

The proposal made by Ravindra Samaraweera, Acting Minister of Labour and Trade Union Relations, to obtain the approval for the Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman regarding the introduction of a national minimum wage for private sector employees, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.