Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 2014-07-17

November 23, 2024

Cabinet Decisions

Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 2014-07-17

July 17, 2014

01. Resettlement of Underserved Settlements in the City of Colombo - the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has planned to construct about 65,000 Housing Units for resettlement of shanty dwellers in underserved settlements in the city of Colombo. It is expected to construct multi-storied condominium apartments with all common amenities to resettle the families. The released lands will be utilized for the construction of such apartments and also for mixed development projects, tourism activities, maintenance of reservations and recreational activities in keeping with the City of Colombo Development Plan. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, to vest some of the state lands identified for the purpose with the UDA as free grants, was approved by the Cabinet.

02. Amendments to the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation Act - the proposal made by H.E. the President. in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation to amend certain Sections of the above Act, for the issuance of an interim order by a Court of Law for the immediate stoppage of unauthorized fillings or development activities, to obtain greater assistance from the Police in respect of persons carrying such activities and to arrest them with their equipment and vehicles and to produce such persons and equipment before Courts etc., was approved by the Cabinet.

03. Vesting of State Lands for Kandy City Development Project - the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has initiated work to renovate the Ehelepola Walluwwa in Kandy which was formally used as Bogambara Remand Prison, to be-developed as a Cultural Centre and an Urban Facility Centre. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, to vest the land in extent of 0.3866 ha. to the UDA as a free grant for the Kandy City Development Project, was approved by the Cabinet.

04. Construction of Sathipola Building at Horana - the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has prepared a Master Plan for the development of the Horana Town Centre and its surroundings and it comprises of the development of the Bus Stand, renovation of the Market, construction of the Sathipola etc. It is proposed to develop the Sathipola to comprise of 400 stalls and with parking and other facilities. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, to proceed with the relevant activities, was approved by the-Cabinet.

05. Transfer of the Ownership of UDA lands situated at St. Sebastian Village (Gunasinghepura) Colombo 12 to National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) on Free Grant Basis - the proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, for the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to allocate the land where the above Housing Scheme is located, to the National Housing Development Authority to enable it to issue deeds to the occupants of the Gunasinghepura Housing Scheme, was approved by the Cabinet.

06. Eheliyagoda Town Development - Eheliyagoda Town has been identified.as a priority town to be developed under the Small and Medium Town Development Programme. City beautification, development of a Public Fair and a Play Ground have been identified as projects to be implemented under this programme. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development. to proceed with the relevant activities, was approved by the Cabinet.

07. Weeraketiya Town Development - Weeraketiya Town has been identified to be developed as a Model Town under the Small and Medium Town Development Programme and projects pertaining to the development of a Public Fair and a Play Ground are proposed to be implemented. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, to proceed with the related activities. was approved by the Cabinet.

08. A Plot of Land for the Colombo Plan Secretariat - The Colombo Plan was established in 1951 as an international mechanism to provide both capital and technical assistance for the economic and social advancement of the people of South and South East Asian with the participation of seven member countries which included India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and Sri Lanka. Currently the organization consists of 27 countries. It is the only international organization located in Sri Lanka. Colombo Plan annually provides around SO foreign training opportunities to the Government of Sri Lanka to develop knowledge and skills or the Public Sector and it envisages a gradual expansion to include new countries from Central Asia, Africa and Middle East, in the near future. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to provide a block of State Land in the Colombo area for the Colombo Plan Secretariat, was approved by the Cabinet.

09. Visit of H.E the President to the G77 Summit in Santa Cruz, and Official Visit to Bolivia - a delegation led by H.E. the President paid the State Visit to Bolivia for the 50th Anniversary Commemorative Summit of the G77 which is the largest inter-governmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, consisting of 133 member countries. Addressing-the Summitt H.E. the President had stated that the G77's founding vision of unity, solidarity and development remains relevant and that it is in this context that Sri Lanka has been closely associated with the work of the group and is currently the Chair of its Vienna Chapter. His Excellency had also stated that many developing countries would have succeeded in emerging from poverty to a more acceptable level of development if the commitments made by developed countries to transfer 0.7% of their GNI to developing countries have been met. H.E. the President had also held bilateral discussions with the Presidents of Cuba, Uruguay, Equatorial Guinea and the Prime Minister of Gabon, The Legislative Assembly of Bolivia had conferred upon H.E. the President of Sri Lanka the 'Parliamentary Order to the Democratic Merit - Deputy Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz' which is the highest honour awarded by Bolivia and this had been first time it was ever awarded to a foreign Head of State, which was in recognition of H.E. the Presidents' commitment to the advancement of peace and democracy.

10. Establishment of the National Research Council as a Statutory Entity - the National Research Council (NRC) has been established in 2007 as a Special Agency and the main objective of establishing the NRC is to assist the Government to plan, coordinate and facilitate research in Science and Technology. The proposal made by Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister of Technology and Research, to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation' for the' establishment of the NRC as a Statutory Entity,' was approved by the Cabinet.

11. Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Culture and the Arts of the Government of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Bahrain on Cooperation in the Field of Culture and Art - Cabinet granted covering approval for the already signed above Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries which was presented to the Cabinet by Hon. T.B. Ekanayake, Minister of Culture and the Arts.

12. National Disaster Management Plan - (2014-2018) - the proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Disaster Management, to implement the Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (2014-2018), in order to minimize, control and mitigate the disaster situations which may arise in the country was approved by the Cabinet.

13. Scarcity of Tables and Chairs in Schools in Remote Areas of the Country - the proposal made by Hon. Duminda Dissanayake, Minister of Education Services, for the provision of Rs.57S million under the Medium Term Budgetary Framework 2015-2017, to provide tables and chairs for students and teachers in schools in remote areas of the country where there is a shortage, was approved by the Cabinet.

14. Tender for the Supply of Surgical Gloves on Long Term Basis (Year 2014.2015) - the proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Slrisena, Minister of Health, to award the above tender, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.

15. Tender for supply of Blood Glucose Testing Strips 10,059,962 and Lancets 10,059,962 Nos - the proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, to invite international competitive bids for the above tender, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC) was approved by the Cabinet.

16. Implementation of Proposed Accelerated Development Programme for Providing Relief and Uplifting Livelihood .of Drought Affected People - 111,459 families in the Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Hambantota, Puttalam, Mannar, Vavuniya, Moneragale and Ampara Districts and certain areas in Kandy and Matale Districts which have been affected by the prevailing drought situation in the country due to the shortage of drinking water and irrigation water for cultivation purposes. The following measures are to be taken in the drought affected Districts:

* to implement an accelerated programme to further increase the water storage -capaclty of reservoirs and tanks in the said Districts;
* to utilize 37 bowsers for distribution of drinking water to the affected families;
* to rehabilitate a selected number of 600 agro wells immediately; and
*a 'Cash for Work' project to be Implemented to rehabilitate and maintain small irrigation systems / Canals and Rural Roads with the participation of farmers of the affected families on payment of Rs.6,OOO/- per month.

The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to proceed with the relevant activities through the relevant District Secretaries and to provide a total estimated cost of Rs.1304.4 million for the purpose, was approved by the Cabinet.

17. State Visit by His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Republic of Maldives - a delegation led by H.E. the President paid a State Visit to the Republic of Maldives recently. At the meetings of the two leaders, it was agreed to re-orient the Sri Lanka - Maldives Joint Commission to bring within its framework, for review, all areas of bilateral cooperation, including Economic Cooperation, Tourism, Culture. Fisheries, Education, Health, Youth and Skills Development. Sports, Employment, Consular and Community Affairs, Cooperation in the Legal Fields, Air Services etc. Two Memoranda of Understanding were also signed during the visit. The above information was provided to the Cabinet by Hon. (Prof') G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs.

18. Prevention of children in the age of having compulsory education, leaving schools due to failing the Subject of Mathematics at the G.C.E. (O/L) Examination - the proposal made by Hon. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education, to provide further facilities in the following manner, for students in Schools who fail the subject of Mathematics at the G.C.E. (O/L) Examination with the view to retaining them in the School system, was approved by the Cabinet:

* to provide an opportunity for the students who have performed well at the G.C.E. (O/L) Examination but failed in Mathematics, to pass the said Subject within two (02) years;

* to permit such students to follow the Bio Systems Technology of the O.C.E. (A/L) Technological Subject Stream in addition to the O.C.E. (A/L) Art Subject Stream; and

* to conduct separate extra classes in Mathematics for such students.