1. Acquisition of land for the construction of District/Magistrate Courts Complex
Palamadulla
The Palamadulla Court functions as a Magistrate Court as well as a District. Due to lack of
sufficient space in the court where 8385 cases are currently being heard, the general public,
lawyers and judicial staff are facing severe difficulties. Therefore, the need to build a new
court complex with necessary facilities has arisen and for that purpose, it has been identified
that it is desirable to obtain a portion of about 3 acres from the land called Pelmadullawatta,
which is governed under the Land Reform Commission. Accordingly, the Cabinet of
Ministers approved the proposal made by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and
Constitutional Reforms to take over that land to the Ministry of Judicial Prison Affairs and
Constitutional Reforms.

2. Agreement for provision of research services between Institute of Industrial Technology
and University of Sydney, Australia
The International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, USA and the University of
Sydney in Australia have entered into an agreement with the Consortium of International
Agricultural Research Centers to conduct research on the use of fruits and vegetables for a
sustainable nutritious diet in collaboration with Benin, the Philippines, Tanzania and Sri
Lanka. Under the program, the Institute of Industrial Technology has been selected by the
University of Sydney to conduct selected research activities on the current status of post-
harvest management and food security in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers
approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Industries to sign an interim contract
agreement between the Institute of Industrial Research and the University of Sydney to
secure an amount of 11,250 Australian dollars for that purpose.

3. Cooperation agreement on the BIMSTEC Charter and Establishment of the
BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility
The government of Sri Lanka has signed the cooperation agreement on the BIMSTEC
Charter and Establishment of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical
Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Technology Transfer Facility on 30.032022. The
Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to
ratify the said cooperation agreement.

4. Installation of electricity storage system to ensure uninterrupted power supply in
Hambantota district during emergency power outages and peak power demand
Under the Framework Agreement for Grant Aid signed between the Republic of Korea and
the Government of Sri Lanka, the Korean Government has agreed to provide Korean won
14.3 billion (about 11.9 million USD )to establish a 08 MWh Electricity Storage System with
a capacity of 05 MW associating the grid substation, Hambantota. Accordingly the Cabinet
of Ministers Approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Power and Energy to sign
the relevant Memorandum of Understanding between the parties in the respective
negotiation note.

5. Presenting the regulations issued under the Import and Export (Control) Act No. 1 of
1969 for Parliamentary approval
The proposal presented by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance,
Economic Stability and National Policies to present the following regulations issued under
the Import and Export (Control) Act No. 1 of 1969 for Parliamentary approval was approved
by the Cabinet of Ministers.
 Special Import License Regulations No. 01 of 2023 published in the Extraordinary
Gazette Notification No. 77/2312 dated 01.01.2023
 Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 02 of 2023 published in the
Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 78/2312 dated 01.01.2023

6. Access to the Protocol for the Amendment of the Convention on Offences and Certain
Other Acts Committed on Board Aircraft (Montrial Protocol 2014)
The proposal presented by the Minister of Ports , Shipping and Aviation to accept the Draft
Amendments to the Convention Relating to Offenses and Certain Other Acts Committed in
Passenger Aircrafts and to take the necessary steps to enact the necessary legislation for the
implementation of the provisions in the said Convention in Sri Lanka was approved by the
Cabinet of Ministers.

7. Introduction of provisions by a Parliamentary Act for the management and disposal of
items used as evidence (case goods).
An economic loss is caused due to insufficient legal provisions existing in regard to the
management and disposal of certain items used as evidence (case goods) that should be
disposed of immediately whereas some of these items has turned into items that cannot be
utilized as a result. Therefore, a committee has been appointed to recommend a new policy
and a legal framework including legal provisions and relevant procedures applicable to
disposal of case goods that is in the custody of the courts before the trial is over. The Cabinet

of Ministers granted their approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice,
Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to empower a new act for management and
disposal of case goods depending on the recommendations of the said committee, and to
instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill in regard to that.

8. Conferment of National Awards (2023) – Sri Lankabhimanya award to Deshabandhu
Hon. Karu Jayasooriya
Conferment of once a life - time national award to Sri Lankan and non Sri Lankan citizens
for rendering an excellent service for the nation within the Democratic Socialist Republic of
Sri Lanka was a practice continued from the year 1986. “Sri Lankabhimanya Award” is the
higher award presented within this country. The Cabinet of Ministers decided to grant their
concurrence to the steps taken by the Hon. President to confer Deshabandhu Hon. Karu
Jayasooriya the “Sri Lankabhimanya Award” on 03 rd February 2023 recognizing the service
he rendered.

9. Revisions to the Social Security Contribution Levy Act No. 25 of 2022.
A social security levy of 2.5% has been imposed under the Social Security Contribution Levy
No. 25 of 2022 on the individuals who can be taxable for exceeding a yearly income of
rupees 120 million and the exemptions from the said levy has been pointed out under
schedule one of that act. Motor vehicles and the equipment utilized for the needs of
differently abled persons which are under the production levy under Excise (Special
Provisions) Act No. 13 of 1989 have been released from social security levy at the budget
proposals for the year 2023. Whereas, several revisions to be made to the said act has been
identified by now. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by
the Hon. President as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies
to amend the said act and to direct the Legal Draftsman to prepared a draft bill for the
purpose.