02/14. National Medicinal 'Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics Regulatory Authority Bill - the Bill for the establishment of the said Regulatory Authority prepared by the Legal Draftsman was presented to the Cabinet by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health. The main objectives of setting up of the said Authority are -
• to ensure the availability of safe and good quality medicinal drugs, safe, effective and acceptable quality devices and quality cosmetics to the general public at affordable prices;
• to function as the central regulator for all matters connected with the importation, manufacture, storage, sale, distribution etc. of medicinal drugs, devices and cosmetics;
• to ensure through the services provided by the National Medicinal Drug Quality Assurance Laboratory and other recognized laboratories, only safe and good quality medicinal drugs are made available to the health care sector and the general public;
• to ensure that all activities related to importation and registration of medicinal drugs, devices and cosmetics are carried out in a transparent manner; and
• promote and encourage the manufacture of medicinal drugs in Sri Lanka.
Cabinet decided to refer the draft Bill to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation for recommendations, in the first instance.
03/22. United Nations Third Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development (Habitat III) 2016 - the third Conference of the United Nations on Housing and Sustainable Development (HABITAT - III) is to be held in 2016. This Conference which is held once in every 20 years is conducted with the participation of Hon. Ministers in-charge of the subject of Housing of the Member Countries of this Organization and the Heads of State of the relevant countries. The proposal made by Hon. Wimal Weerawansa, Minister of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities, to appoint a National Steering Committee consisting of the Secretaries of the relevant Ministries and Heads of Institutions to organize all activities that are to be implemented in Sri Lanka and to prepare the Report to be submitted to this Summit, was approved by the Cabinet.
04/24. Implementation of Facilitating Initiatives for Social Cohesion and Transformation (FLICT) Project - in line with the Mission to engage in 'policy formulation, guidance and facilitation to create a developed and socially integrated trilingual society that assures rights of one and all and respects each other' the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration has been working with the project for Facilitating Initiatives for Social Cohesion and Transformation (FLICT) since its inception in 2004. The final phase of the project is to be implemented between January 2014 and February 2017 with Euro 3,399,158.40 jointly funded by the German Ministry of Economic Co- operation and Development with Euro 2.5 million and the European Commission with Euro 899,158.40. The proposal made by Hon. Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, to implement the Action Plan drawn up for the purpose, was approved by the' Cabinet.
05 /36. 46th Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) COCOTECH Meeting 7th - 11th July 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka - the Asian-Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) is a consortium of 18 coconut growing countries established in 1969 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) as an independent regional intergovernmental organization. The Member-Countries of the APCC
account for 85% to 90% of the world's coconut production. Sri Lanka is one of the Member Countries of the APCC and the 4th largest coconut producer in the world. The 46th COCOTECH Meeting of the APCC is to be held in Sri Lanka and will be attended by about 100 participants from 18 countries. The above information was submitted by Hon. A.P. Jagath Pushpakumara, Minister of Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development, for the information of the Cabinet.
06/40. Programme funded by the Local Banks for the Rehabilitation of National Highways through Domestic Contractors - Approval to award Eight (08) Contracts under Stage 2 - the proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Highways, Ports and Shipping, to award contracts for the rehabilitation of the following sections of roads as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet:
• Old Colombo - Galle Road (A2) from 17.50.km to 25.20 km;
• Bibila - Uraniya - Mahiyangana Road (B57) from 0.00 km to 10.00 km;
• Bibila - Uraniya - Mahiyangana Road (B57) from 18.00 km to 22.00 km;
• Mallawapitiya - Rambodagalla Keppitipola Road (B264) from 0.00 km to 10.00 km;
• Mallawapitiya - Rambodagalla - Keppitipola Road (B264) from 10.00 km to 15.75 km and from 20.25 km to 37.81 km;
• Embilipitiya - Moraketiya - Kiriibbanara - Udamauara Road (B549) from 6.12 km to 14.84 km;
• Weligatta - Bundala - Kirinda Road from 0 km to 19.20 km:
• Tangalle - Kadurupokuna - Beliatta - Kadurupokuna - Dedduwawala Road 0.00 km to 12.76 km.
07/42. Construction of Stage - II of the Seven Storied Building for the Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Colombo - the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Higher Education to award the above contract to the lowest evaluated responsive bidder at a cost of Rs.228,604,705.00 as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.
08 /43. Consulting Services for the Construction of Solid Waste Disposal Facilities Project in Sri Lanka under the EDCF Loan from Exim Bank of Korea (EDCF L/A No. SRI - 21) - the Government of Korea is providing a loan of Korean Won not exceeding the equivalent of US$ 33,536,000 to finance the above project and the counterpart funding of the Government of Sri Lanka for this project is US$ 8,350,000 and the project duration is 04 years. The sanitary landfills will be constructed in Keerikkulama in Anuradhapura, Monroviawatta in Hikkaduwa, Malamulla in Panadura and Gonadikawatta In Udunuwara and would serve as the cluster based common final disposal facility to dispose residual waste generated in the respective Local Authority areas. The proposal made by Hon. Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Environment and Renewable . Energy, to award the tender for Consultancy Services of the above project, was approved by the Cabinet.
09/45. Construction Work of Performing Arts School at Kundasale (Kundasale Prasangika Kala Nikethanaya ) - the construction work of this institution is underway at present in a plot of land of 05 acres in extent at Kundasale in the Central Province and the work of the two hostels has to be completed very early. The proposal made by Hon. T.B. Ekanayake, Minister of Culture and the Arts, to entrust the construction work to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) which is a Government concern, was approved by the Cabinet.
10/64. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on Co- operation in the Field of Education - on the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Higher Education, covering approval was granted by the Cabinet for the above Mo U signed between the two countries and to take steps for its implementation.
11/65. Supply and Installation of Protection Systems at 200 Unprotected Level Crossings - the proposal made by Hon. Kumara Welgama, Minister of Transport, to award the procurement for the supply and installation of protection systems at 200 unprotected level crossings at a cost of US $6,478,190.00 to the lowest bidder, was approved by the Cabinet.
12 / 69. The Rehabilitation of Priority Roads with Financial Assistance from Local Banks - the proposal made by H.E. The President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to enter into agreements with the domestic Banks to obtain loans for the rehabilitation of the following road sections, was approved by the Cabinet:
• Rehabilitation and improvements to the road section from Galewela to Dambulla (14km) along Ambepussa- Kurunegala - Trincomalee Road; and
• Rehabilitation and improvements to the road section from 0.00 km to 3.70 km along Kotte - Bope Road (B240) and 0.00 Km to 3.50 km along Battaramulaa - Pannipitiya Road (B 47).
13/7l. Western Province Road Development Project - the Ministry of Highways, Ports and Shipping has identified 26.13 km of National Highways in the , Western Province for upgrading, improvement and widening at a total cost of US $22.7 million and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) has agreed to provide a loan of US $17 million for the above project. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to enter into a loan agreement with the OFID to obtain the said loan, was approved by the Cabinet.
14/72. Wastewater Disposal Project for – Ratmalana/Moratuwa and Ja-Ela / Ekala Areas - the proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to enhance the credit amount granted by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in 2006, up to US$ 95,060,656, with the concurrence of the said Agency, to meet the additional cost involved on the above project, and to proceed with the matters connected thereto, was approved by the Cabinet.
15/74. Agreement for the Transfer of Sentenced Persons between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of Vietnam - the Transfer of Offenders Act, No.5 of 1995 contains provisions to enable a citizen of another country convicted and sentenced to imprisonment by a Court in Sri Lanka, to serve his sentence in the country of which he claims to be a citizen. This Act provides similar provisions for a Sri Lankan citizen imprisoned in another country to be transferred back to Sri Lanka to serve his balance period of imprisonment. The proposal made by Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Minister of Justice, to sign the above Treaty during the forthcoming visit of the Minister of Public Security of Vietnam to Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.
16 / 77. Construction of a Bhikku Ward Complex - Stage I at Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura - the special ward for Bhikkus which has been functioning at the Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura, to provide health care services to the Bhikkus 'residing in Buddhist Temples situated in and around Anuradhapura town area was in a dilapidated condition. The proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, to award the construction work of Stage I of a new Bhikku Ward Complex at the Teaching Hospital, Anuradhapura, consisting of the ground floor and the first floor, to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) which is a Government concern, at an estimated cost of Rs.59,787,498.85 was approved by the Cabinet.
17 / 88. A Credit of United States Dollars 83 Million' from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank for the Skills Development Project - the Government's Development Policy Framework recognizes the importance of investing in human capital in an integrated manner from early childhood development to higher education to support Sri Lanka's transition to a knowledge-based economy where Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Sector has a vital role to play. The Government has launched the Skills Sector Development Programme (SSDP) which provides the strategic framework for building an efficient skills development system by 2020 that can meet both local and foreign labour market demand. The IDA of the World Bank has agreed to provide US $83 million equivalent of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) for the purpose. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning to proceed with the activities relating to the loan arrangement, was approved by the Cabinet.
18 / 89. A Credit of United States Dollars 83 Million from the International Development Association (IDA) of World Bank as an Additional Financing for Dam Safety and Water Resources Planning Project - the IDA has agreed to provide US $83 million as an additional financing for the above project to finance the project activities including rehabilitation and modernization of dams in parts of the North and East of the country. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning to proceed with the activities relating to the loan arrangement, was approved by the Cabinet.
19 / 90. Loan Facility for the Implementation of Ambatale Water Supply System Improvements & Energy Saving Project and Towns East of Colombo Water Distribution Improvement Project - the Government intends to implement the Greater Colombo Water and Wastewater Management Improvement Investment Programme to ensure an uninterrupted supply of water and sanitation services to the city dwellers. A loan facility of US $100.86 million is to be provided by France for the Ambatale Water Supply System Improvements & Energy Saving Project and Towns East at Colombo Water Distribution Improvement Project and the balance of US $36.24 million is to be borne by the Government of Sri Lanka. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning to proceed with the activities relating to the loan arrangement, was approved by the Cabinet.
