02. Celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Sri Lanka Tourism
The focused development of Sri Lankan tourism sector commenced with the establishment of the Ceylon Tourist Board in 1966 after the enactment of Tourist Board Act no 10 of 1966. Afterwards, it has earned high revenue within the recent 50 years, and has generated about three hundred thousand direct and indirect employment opportunities. Tourist arrivals in 1966 amounted to 19,079 has increased to 1,798,380 in 2015. The importance of promoting and developing the Sri Lankan tourism industry has been emphasized by the economic policy of the government presented to the parliament by the Hon. Prime Minister as well as in the Budget Proposal 2016. Accordingly, the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs has organized commemoration programme to mark the golden jubilee of the Sri Lankan tourism industry. Above information presented by Hon. John Amaratunge, Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, was considered by the Cabinet of Ministers.
03. Bilateral Air Services Consultations between Sri Lanka andAustria
A discussion to sign a new bilateral aviation agreement between Sri Lanka and Austria has been done with the participation of relevant authorities in November 2015 at Vienna, Austria. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. NimalSiripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to sign the said new agreement by an authorised agent of the Government of Sri Lanka, and to take suitable action for the productive implementation of the agreement, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
04. Sri Lanka to ratify the Ottawa Convention – Anti-Personal Mine Ban Convention
Northern and Eastern provinces in Sri Lanka have been severely affected by landmines and explosives due to the conflict situation prevailed in Sri Lanka. Demining process is important for the resettlement of internally displaced persons and threats for the lifestyle and infrastructure development in the area by these explosives should be prevented. Hence, the joint proposal made by Hon. MangalaSamaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Hon. D.M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, to ratify the anti-personnel mine ban convention alias the Ottawa Convention by the government of Sri Lanka to make that background, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
05. Port Access Elevated Highway Project
It has been proposed to build an elevated highway of 5.8 km long at an estimated cost of Rs. 36 billion, from New Kelani Bridge, Peliyagoda to Colombo Fort connecting the Colombo Fort area with the expressway network, for uninterrupted transportation of cargo and containers from Colombo and suburbs to Colombo fort and for reducing the traffic congestion in Colombo urban area. Therefore, the proposal made by Hon. LakshmanKiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to implement the said project and to obtain necessary funds, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
06. Transport Connectivity and Asset Management Project to be funded by the World Bank
Many international aiding organizations including World Bank, Asian Development Bank are following the Output and Performance based Contract method in rehabilitation and maintenance of roads in many countries. The proposal made by Hon. LakshmanKiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to implement the rehabilitation of Peliyagoda- Puttalam road as a pilot project under the above method and to discuss with the World Bank to obtain required funds, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
07. Allocation of land blocks from Regional Industrial Estates to setup industries
The Regional Industrial Estates Programme is being implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce with the view of promoting industries in the regional level. The proposal made by Hon. RishadBathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce, to allocate lands from relevant industrial estates to investors/institutions that have fulfilled required qualifications with the recommendations of the Project Evaluation Committee of the Ministry, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
08. Allocation of UDA land at PeraheraMawatha, Colombo 03 to the Colombo Plan Secretariat
The above secretariat which is an international bureau established in Sri Lanka and currently being located in a rented out building has been proposed to be relocated in a premises with sufficient room. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. PataliChampikaRanawaka, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, to provide a land in PeraheraMawatha Colombo 3 on a 50 year lease agreement for the relocation of the above secretariat, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
09. Supply of 150 units of fishing equipment to the fishers in the Mullaitivu District under the Indian Grant Assistance
Fishers in Mullaitivu District have confronted many difficulties with distraction and loss of fisheries equipment due to the 30 year long war. The Indian government has agreed to provide 150 units of fisheries equipment and engines installed externally to fisheries boats on the request of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development to provide relief to those fishers. The proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding for obtaining of the said equipment valued to Rs. 100 million as a grant from the Indian Government, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
10. Redevelopment of Bambalapitiya Flats
Above housing complex situated in a land of 10 acres and 15.55 perches consists of 259 condominium residential units and 10 condominium commercial units. This building as located near the sea has decayed and has become to a dangerous situation. The proposal made by Hon. SajithPremadasa, Minister of Housing and Construction, to implement the Redevelopment of Bambalapitiya Flats Project with foreign investor recommended by the Board of Investment, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
11. Establish an Advanced Passenger Information Processing and Passenger Name Record System
The proposal made by Hon. Harin Fernando, Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructure, to engage Information and Communication Technology Agency and Socie’te’ Internationale de Te’le’ communications Ae’ronautiques as key stakeholders in establishment of the above system for the Department of Immigration and Emigration, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
12. Project for Issuing Vehicle Emission Test Certificates
Agreement entered with the two companies that are responsible of establishing island wide emission test centres to issue Vehicle Emission Test Certificates by the Department of Motor Traffic will expire on 01-07-2016. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. NimalSiripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to carry out procurement activities to select few private sector companies as contractors to implement vehicle emission test standards by establishing vehicle emission test centres again for the next 05 years, and to grant permission to establish test centres of the Sri Lanka Transport Board for 09 provinces to test the vehicles owned by the Transport Board, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
13. Development of infrastructure of the Advanced Technological Institutes at Galle, Gampaha, Kandy, Kurunegala and Sammanthurai
It has been planned to establish an Advanced Technological Institute in every district for fulfilling the tasks assigned to the Sri Lanka Institute for Advanced Technological Education (SLIATE) which is functioning under the Ministry of Higher Education and Highways. Currently, 11 Advanced Technological Institutes and 06 Advanced Technological Institute Sections are being implemented under the SLIATE, and there is a very high recognition for the Higher National Diplomas awarded by the institute. Due to insufficient space available the number of students enrolled for the year 2015 was only 35% of the more than 20,000 applicants. Hence the opportunities for the students have been limited to gain advanced technological education in Engineering, Quantity Surveying, English and Information Technology which have a high demand in the current labour market. The proposal made by Hon. LakshmanKiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to implement projects to develop the capacities of buildings, equipment, staff and students of Advanced Technological Institutes in Kegalle, Dehiwala, Jaffna, Galle, Gampaha, Kandy, Kurunegala, and Sammanthurai, at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,368.5 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
14. Elevated Highway from New Kelani Bridge to Rajagiriya with connection to Battaramulla, Malabe, Athurugiriya, and Outer Circular Highway
It has been proposed to construct an elevated highways network in Colombo to reduce the traffic congestion and to build the road connectivity suburbs and expressways. It has been proposed to construct a road of 6.9 km long with 4 lanes from New Kelani Bridge to Rajagiriya. It will be connected with the Outer Circular Highway in the second phase and the northern end will connect to the Katunayake Expressway. The proposal made by Hon. LakshmanKiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to proceed with the project, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
15. Tender for supply of 1,200,000 doses of Adsorbed Diptheria Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B and Haemophilus Influenza Type b Conjugate Liquid Vaccine BP, USP or EP (Pentavalent)
The proposal made by Hon. RajithaSenaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to award the above tender to the bidder recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Standing Procurement Committee for purchase of above vaccines used in children immunization programme, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
16. Tender for supply of 120,000,000 Tablet of Clopidogrel 75mg
The proposal made by Hon. RajithaSenaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to award the above tender to the bidder recommended by the Procurement Appeal Board for purchase of above drug which is an antiplatelet agent used to inhibit blood clots, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
17. Tender for supply of 580,000 vials of Enoxaparin Sodium Injection 6,000IU in 60mg /0.6ml Prefilled Syringe
The proposal made by Hon. RajithaSenaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to award the above tender to the bidder recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Standing Procurement Committee for purchase of above vaccines used for treatments of heart patients, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
18. Tender for supply of 300,000 vials of Rabies Vaccine (Human Use) (1ml/0.5ml)
The proposal made by Hon. RajithaSenaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to award the above tender to the bidder recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Standing Procurement Committee for purchase of above vaccines used to prevent rabies, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
19. Tender for supply of 80,000 bottles of Human Albumin Solution BP (PH EUR) 20% in 50ml Bottle
The proposal made by Hon. RajithaSenaratne, Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, to award the above tender to the bidder recommended by the Procurement Appeal Board for purchase of above drug used for treatments of kidney patients, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
20. Signing of SAARC Youth Charter
The above charter aims at promoting health, well being, rights and potential of youth. It also expects to use the knowledge of the South Asian youth in national development and to provide employment opportunities for all utilizing their skills productively. Therefore, the proposal made by Hon. Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to sign the above charter at the 36th SAARC Council of Ministers to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 17th of March, and to ratify the same, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
21. Joint Action Programme between Government of Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Thailand to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of tourism
Above MoU was signed between the two countries in 2013. The proposal made by Hon. John Amaratunge, Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, to sign the joint Action Plan between the Ministry of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand to implement the aforesaid MoU during the forthcoming visit of the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
22. Paddy Purchasing Programme during the Maha season 2015/16
Harvesting of paddy in the Maha season 2015/2016 has been commenced and the Paddy Purchasing Board has planned to purchase paddy in 19 districts according to the government’s policy in paddy purchasing. Hence, the proposal made by Hon. P. Harrison, Minister of Rural Economic Affairs, to purchase paddy directly from farmers with the cooperation of District Secretaries/Government Agents and to purchase a kilogram of Keeri Samba for Rs. 50/-, a kilogram of Samba for Rs. 41/- and a Kilogram of Nadu for Rs. 38/-, and to purchase paddy subject to a maximum quantity of 2000kg, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
23. Obtaining Vehicles for Government Agencies under the Operating Leasing Scheme
The government spends a considerable amount of money on the purchase and maintenance of vehicles obtained for the use of public sector institutions due to high cost of repairs and the administrative delays. In order to overcome the weaknesses in the system and to reduce the unnecessary cost incurred on maintaining a large vehicle fleet by each and every public institution under the present system and to enhance the efficiency while promoting the leasing industry in the country, the Budget 2016 proposed to introduce an ‘Operating Leasing System’ for obtaining vehicles for eligible officials and pool-vehicles for government institutions and state owned enterprises. A portion of vehicles required for government institutions will be obtained from lessors selected through the government’s procurement procedure on “use and return” option and on a 60-month fixed rental basis. Under this scheme, the lessor will bear charges for the insurance, license, all repair costs and the government will only bear the cost for fuel and drivers. The proposal made by Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Finance, to implement the ‘Operating Leasing System’ that saves the maximum cost for the government, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
