02. Financing Polgahawela, Pothuhera, and Alawwa Integrated Water Supply Project, Kundasale-Haragama Water Supply Project and Aluthgama, Mathugama and Agalawatta Integrated Water Supply Project

Implementation of above projects has already been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers. The proposal made by Hon. Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to authorize National Water Supply and Drainage Board to obtain necessary funds through a local bank to implement above projects, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

03. Construction of a new rail track from Kurunegala to Habarana via Dambulla to be implemented under “Let’s Awaken Polonnaruwa” District Development Programme 2016-2020

Construction of a rail track of 08 km fromKurunegala to Habarana via Dambulla has been identified as an essential and prominent task under the “Let’s awaken Polonnaruwa” five year development programme. This project expects to provide convenient transportation for people in Eastern and North Central Provinces and to achieve provincial development aims by connecting Dambulla Economic Centre with the railway network. The Republic of China has agreed to contribute in this project and the proposal made by Hon. NimalSiripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to recruit a project staff to accelerate the project and to acquire lands that have been identified to construct the railway path, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

04. Payment of Compensation and Gratuity – Department of Divineguma Development

The joint proposal made by Hon. S.B Dissanayake, Minister of Social Empowerment and Welfare and Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Finance, to obtain relevant funds to pay compensation and gratuity to officers served in institutions which were combined to establish the Department of Divineguma Development, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

05. Amendments to the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007

Above act has been in effect for nearly 10 years and it provides provisions regarding incorporation of companies, administration and management, amalgamation, liquidation, and Companies Dispute Board etc. The Advisory Commission appointed to advise the relevant Minister and the Auditor General has identified several amendments that should be done with immediate effect. The proposal made by Hon. RishadBathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce, to make said amendments to the Companies Act No 07 of 2007, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

06. Horana Town Centre Improvement Programme- Implementation of the Horana Bus Stand Development Project – stage II

The Development Plan prepared by the Urban Development Authority for Horana Urban Council Area has reviled the issues of infrastructure, traffic congestion, and land use pattern in the central business area. To upgrade the Central Business Area it is necessary to develop the existing bus stand with adequate parking space for the large number of busses operating at present and to provide facilities for the commuters and bus crew as well. Stage I of this project has already been finalized and the proposal made by Hon. PataliChampikaRanawaka, Minister of Mega polis and Western Development, to implement its second stage including small scale shop spaces, sanitary facilities, and access road improvement at a cost of Rs. 182 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

07. Proposed Social Welfare Centre at Mattakkuliya

It is proposed to establish a Social Welfare Centre at Mattakkuliya with the view of uplifting the lives of poor and underprivileged people in Colombo North urban area by serving their day-to-day needs. The proposed building will have social welfare activities such as healthcare, childcare, community welfare, e-channelling, library, gym, carom, chess and office facilities etc. Construction of the building will be completed within a year and its ownership and management will be assigned to the Colombo Municipal Council. The proposal made by Hon. PataliChampikaRanawaka, Minister of Mega polis and Western Development, to implement the above project at a cost of Rs. 250 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

08. Payment of annual contribution to the Centre for Alleviation of Poverty through Sustainable Agriculture (CAPSA)

CAPSA is a sub institution being governed by the UN’s Economic and Social Commission. The main objective of the institution is to provide policy inducement for member countries to uplift living standard of the rural people and engage in development and research functions on agriculture. Sri Lanka as a member country has gained various benefits from this centre. The proposal made by Hon. DumindaDissanayake, Minister of Agriculture, to pay the annual subscription of the CAPSA, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

09. Bill to amend the Mediation Boards Act No. 72 of 1988

Cabinet of Ministers have already granted the approval to increase the limit of monetary value in respect of disputes to be referred to compulsory mediation from Rs. 250,000/- to Rs. 500,000-/. The proposal made by Hon. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice, to publish the bill prepared in this regard in the gazette and to submit it in the parliament for approval, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

10. Purchasing a land for the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media

Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms is currently being operated in private building in Pelawatta, Battaramulla obtained for a rent of Rs. 630,000/-. As it is appropriate to construct a government owned building for this ministry, the proposal made by Hon. GayanthaKarunathilaka, Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media, to purchase a land of 40 perches for Rs. 31.5 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers according to the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee on Economic Management.

11. An Accelerated Programme for the Middle Income Housing and Infrastructure

A five year plan to provide houses for middle income wage earners in urban and suburban areas in all districts have been commenced and will be in effect for the next five years. The proposal made by Hon. SajithPremadasa, Minister of Housing and Construction, to establish a Programme Management Unit for the efficient implementation of this programme, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

12. The Relaunching of the Village Reawakening (Gam Udawa) Programme

Village Reawakening Programme was launched in 1980s with the principle that shelter is fundamental to people’s physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. However, the programme has stopped in mid 1990s. The proposal made by Hon. SajithPremadasa, Minister of Housing and Construction, to relaunch the above programme and the Village Reawakening Exhibition held in line with the programme in several electorates from this year, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

13. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of the United States of America entering into an inter-governmental agreement with the Internal Revenue Services of the United States of America

The proposal made by Hon.Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to enter into an agreement between the Internal Revenue Services of USA and the Department of Inland Revenue Sri Lanka, to mutually exchange tax information, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

14. Awarding the contract for supplying and distributing of Ariel Bundle Conductors

The proposal made by Hon. RanjithSiyambalapitiya, Minister of Power and Renewable Energy, to award the above contract as recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Standing Procurement Committee, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

15. Entry into Four (04) Term Contracts to purchase of refined petroleum products for the period of eight months from 01st March 2016

The proposal made by Hon.ChandimaWeerakkody, Minister of Petroleum Resources Development, to award above mentioned contracts for purchasing of refined petroleum, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

16. Rehabilitation of the road section from Ja-Ela to Halawatha of the A3 road under the Transport Connectivity and Asset Management Project

The proposal made by Hon. Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to conduct loan negotiations with the International Development Agency and to enter into an agreement to obtain a credit of 90.5 million special drawing rights (Approximately US$ 126.7 million) for the above purpose, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

17. Line of Credit for Small and Medium size Enterprises of Sri Lanka implemented under the financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank

The Ministry of Finance has entered into a loan agreement to obtain a loan of US$ 100 million from the Asian Development Bank to strengthen the Small and Medium scale enterprises by granting them loan facilities. Loans will be granted to launch an enterprise or to expand an existing enterprise subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 million and a repayment period of 10 years. The proposal made by Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, Minister of Finance, to implement the loan scheme and enter into agreements with Participatory Financial Institutions, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.