01. Obtaining the membership in International Sustainable Tourism and Eliminating Poverty Organization (ST-EP) (Document No – 06)
ST-EP is proposed to be established under the patronage of United Nations World Tourism Organization with the view of facilitating knowledge management and project development for economic improvement through tourism promotion, implementation of researches and projects for achieving sustainable tourism development through elimination of poverty and contributing in protecting the environment and culture through public-private partnership. The proposal made by Hon. John Amaratunge, Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs, to obtain the membership in the said organization, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
02. Registration of motorcycles used without registration (Document No – 07)
There are numerous motorcycles which are not registered in the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT). Such motorcycles are very useful in rural areas where ample public transportation is absent and they contribute much for the rural agricultural economy and self-employment. A large income for the government is lost in this regard. It has been recognized that it is suitable to provide an opportunity to register such bicycles through imposing a surcharge for establishing the law through preventing frauds, corruption and theft in the country. Therefore, the proposal made by Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to grant registration for such motorcycles as a concession after checking the documents, to implement this regarding motorcycles that conforms with the provisions of the Motor Traffic Act and not to prejudice legal importers of motorcycles, and to grant this concession for only four (04) months, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
03. Lease out a land of 10 acres in Muthurajawela for a project of generating energy through solid waste (Document No – 15)
The proposal made by Hon. Patali Champika Ranawaka, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, to lease out the above mentioned land owned by the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation for 30 years to a private company for implementing a project for generating electricity through solid waste as a solution to the waste disposal issue, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
04. Development of farms owned by the National Livestock and Development Board (NLDB) under the public-private participation programme (Document No – 18)
There are 31 crops and animal farms around the island owned by the NLDB and it also contributes in providing necessary assistance for small farm owners, and in national dairy production, meat production and egg production. Four large scale farms in Central and Southern Provinces have been developed with a large investment but farms with the same potential in other areas could not been developed with the difficulty of providing funds. Therefore the government pays its attention in developing them with public-private partnership. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. P. Harrison, Minister of Rural Economic Affairs, to amend the act No. 11 of 1972, State Agricultural Corporations Act including necessary legal provisions for the above purpose, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
05. Prevention of coastal erosion in Oluwil and Nindavur areas in Ampara District (Document No – 21)
A Committee of Officials has already been appointed according to a proposal made by Minister of City Planning and Water Supply Rauff Hakeem to study the coastal erosion in about an area of 550 m on Northern area of the Oluwil harbour in Ampara District and to make recommendations on long term solutions and providing reliefs to affected people. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority has commenced conservation of about 150 m and the rest 400m should be commenced immediately. As it takes a long period of time to implement long-term measures the proposal made by Hon. Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister of Ports and Shipping, to implement short term measures such as pileup sand heap along the beach and placing rock barriers with the cooperation of the Coast Conservation and Coastal Resources Management Department, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
06. Task Force on Legal and Judicial Causes of Prison Overcrowding (Document No – 23)
The joint proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice and Hon. D.M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, to appoint a Task Force on the above purpose with the Co-Chairpersonship of Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and Secretary to the Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs and to obtain proposals on necessary amendments to be done to existing laws and procedures, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
07. Implementation of three water supply schemes for community affected from water ingress to the main tunnel of Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (Document No – 26)
The approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has already been granted to implement the above schemes for benefitting the affected communities in Weheragalatenna, Makulella, and Kurundugolla areas. Accordingly its construction has been commenced and it has revealed that the number of beneficiary families will increase from 1417 to 2400. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to implement these projects with immediate effect by amending the cost of these 03 projects as Rs. 317.24 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
08. Implementation of short term priority water supply improvements in Three BOI Zones Biyagama, Wathupitiwala and Koggala and surroundings in Ranpokunugama and Kirindiwela areas of Gampaha District and Habaraduwa area of Galle District (Document No – 27)
The proposal made by Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, to implement the improvements to existing water supply schemes for providing sufficient water supply for people in above areas at a cost of Rs. 1,531.9 million, considering them as priority projects, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
09. Construction of Jaffna Pannai Prison Complex – Phase II (Document No – 30)
The above project is to be implemented to accommodate 1000 detainees. The first phase of the project has been completed and it can accommodate 130 detainees. The proposal made by Hon. D.M. Swaminathan, Minister of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs, to commence its second phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 623.32 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
10. Standardizing the addressing of the Sri Lanka Police Department (Document No – 33)
The Police of Sri Lanka has been addressed in various terms in different periods. It has been addressed by the Police Ordinance No. 16 of 1865 and by directions of the Police Department as the 'Sri Lanka Police Force' and after 1945 as the 'Sri Lanka Police Department' and since 1972 it has been addressed as the 'Sri Lanka Police Service'. The Police Department celebrates its 150th anniversary this year and it has been considered to adopt a standard name for the police. Considering the above fact the proposal made by Hon. Sagala Ratnayake, Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development, to use 'Sri Lanka Police' as its standard name, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
11. Establishing Japan – Sri Lanka joint Comprehensive Partnership Secretariat in Colombo and Tokyo (Document No – 34)
During the official visit if Hon. Prime Minister in October 2015, the governments of Sri Lanka and Japan has agreed to declare the cooperation covering the areas of advanced agriculture, science and technology for industries, advanced infrastructure and regional development, education and human resources development, and civil security and safety. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to establish the Japan – Sri Lanka Joint Comprehensive Partnership Secretariat in Colombo and Tokyo for facilitating the above purposes, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
12. Ratification of Paris Agreement by Sri Lanka (Document No – 35)
The Paris Agreement on Climate Change was signed by 178 countries including Sri Lanka at the UN headquarters on 02 April 2016. It expects to minimize the impact and risk of climate change though maintaining the general global warming less than 2 Celsius Degrees and by not exceeding 1.5 Celsius Degrees as much as possible. Sri Lanka has been identified by the agreement as an island state that face the impacts of climate changes such as prolong droughts, flash floods, rise in the sea level, landslides, and inundation of lowlands. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to ratify the Paris Agreement, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
13. Development Policy Loan (Private Sector, Governance Improvement and Fiscal Consolidation (Document No – 36)
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to provide funds for the development process of the government considering the sectors of achieving the economic stability of Sri Lanka through financial stability of Sri Lanka, improvement of public resources management and facilitating public-private competition. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, to sign exchange notes with the government of Japan to obtain development policy loan of Japanese Yen 10,000 (approximately Rs. 14,453 million) and to enter into a loan agreement with JICA on the above purpose, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
14. Declaration of '2017- the Year of Alleviating Poverty' (Document No – 38)
The government has paid its attention on alleviating poverty according to the pledge given in Presidential Election 2015 and according to the UN sustainable development goals. Economic development should not aim only the economic development but should consider social security, minimizing income differences, marginalized communities due to various reasons, development diversities in provincial and district levels. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, to declare the year 2017 as the 'Year of Alleviating Poverty' by recognizing the need of a macro programme and giving priority to a collective approach and to supervise the programme by a Committee comprised of relevant ministers and partners and headed by the President and the Prime Minister, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
