02. Obtaining funds to implement the project for generating solar power systems installed on buildings (Document No 9)
The government expects to generate 200 MW at year 2020 and to improve it to 1000 MW at year 2025 through "Sooryabala Sangramaya" programme. The ADB has agreed to provide loan assistance for development of market infrastructure, preparation of sub projects that loans could be obtain, and improvement of knowledge and capacity of all parties to assist in above programme and the proposal made by Hon Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe, as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs to hold negotiations and enter into relevant agreements in this regard, was approved by the cabinet of Ministers.
03. Construction of an Airport Hotel near the Bandaranaike International Airport (Document No - 13)
Two land lots have been allocated to two investors for constructing of two star class hotels with minimum 100 rooms at the BIA, but one of the investors has decided to discontinue further activities in this regard and the proposal made by the minister of transport and civil aviation to call for proposals to select another suitable investor in this regard, was approved by the cabinet of ministers.
04. Revision of fines charged for traffic offences under the motor traffic act. (Document No 14)
It has been proposed to increase fines for 7 traffic offences to Rs. 25000.00 in 2016 for reducing the No of road accidence but with the opposition made by bus associations and three wheal associations, a committee of officials has been appointed by the president, and the proposal made by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, to implement following recommendations of the said committee was approved by cabinet of Ministers.
• Increase of fine for following offences to Rs. 25000.00
- Driving without a valued driving license.
- Deploying persons without driving license in services
- Driving under the influence Liqueur and drugs
- Access of vehicle in to a railway road unsafely
- Driving a vehicle without a valued insurance cover.
• Revision of fines for following offences
- Speeding
(Spot fines, according to the percentage of over speeding as followers)
Up to 20% - Rs. 3000/=
20% - 30% - Rs. 5000/=
30% - 50% - Rs. 10000/=
Beyond 50% - Rs. 15000
- Overtaking from left side (minimum spot fine to be increased to Rs. 2000/=)
- Driving with disregard to other people
(A minimum fine of Rs. 10000/=)
- Reckless driving
- (A minimum fine of Rs. 10000/=)
- Driving by underage persons
(Increase the exiting fine of Rs. 5000/= to 30000/=)
- A minimum fine of Rs. 2500/= for offences not stated in Motor Traffic Act.
• Impose a spot fine of Rs. 2000 for use of Mobile phones while driving.
• Accelerate the implementation of marking process for drivers.
• Installation of CCTV Cameras in places with recurrent accidence for taking information for punishing offenders.
• Prompt implementation of the proposal to use electronic payment method to charge spot fines.
• Properly demonstrate speed limit boards in highways and expressways.
• Implement a combined time table or a suitable arrangement on running of SLTB and private busses.
• Establishment of regulatory institutions for regulation of three-wheelers and School transport Vehicles.
• Establishment of an efficient public transport services.
• Use of high-tech tools to minimize irregularities of some law enforcing officers and to improve transparency of law enforcement.
05. Consideration of implementing operations of Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport under a public private partnership structure (Document No -15)
MRIA has incurred a loss of USD 112.9 million (Rs. 15,600 million) at 31st December 2016, and Proposals have been called from investors to related enterprises but no proposal has been received that covers operations, management and maintenance of the airport.
Meanwhile a proposal has been presented by the Government of India considering all the aspects of the MRIA and the proposal made by the Ministers of Transport & Civil Aviation, Nimal Siripala De Silva, to appoint a committee comprised of several senior Secretaries to Ministries to further study the proposal, was approved by the cabinet of Ministers.
06. Protection of Kandyan Heritage (Document No-18)
It is essential to protect the kandyan Heritage that includes historic places, small reservoirs & irrigations & folk arts & crafts in Central & Uva Provinces.
Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Social Empowerment, Welfare & Kandyan Heritage, S.B. Dissanayake, to establish a statutory Board called ‘Kandyan Heritage Protection Authority’ by a Parliamentary act for implementation of several projects in this regard, was approved by the cabinet of ministers.
07. Guidelines & house plans for resettlement of families displaced due to floods & landslides (Document No-20)
The Government has implemented a programme to provide houses for families displaced due to floods & landslides in several districts occurred in May 2017 & above guidelines & houses plans have been prepared by the National Building Research Institute. The proposal made by the Minister of Disaster Management Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, to implement the resettlement programme according to said guidelines, was approved by the cabinet of Ministers.
08. Renovations of the Planetarium, Sri Lanka (Document N0 -22)
Sri Lanka’s planetarium, which was built in 1965, is one of the largest planetariums in the world with 23 m diameter & 500 seating capacity. As the planetariums has not been renovated recently, the proposal made by the Ministers of Science, Technology &Research, Susil Premajayantha, to implemented renovations which have been identified to be done with immediate effect, was approved by the Cabinet Minsters.
09. New Development Projects in Health Sector, (Document No -23)
Sri Lanka’s health sector has gained a huge improvement with investments made by the government & it is engaged in 100% of preventive health services, 90%-95% of inpatient services & 40%-50% outpatient services. Health indicators are maintained similar to developed countries & Services is provided free of charge, & they should be further developed.
The government has planned to provide case access to specialist services for the public by developing several terminal hospitals with facilities, child, cancer surgical, maternity, neo natal & dental wards, & laboratories & pharmaceutical store facilities. The proposal made by The Minister of Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne to obtain funds for implementing several projects to be implemented in 2018 at a cost of RS. 28000/- million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
10. Establishment of Amaradeva Aesthetic and Research Centre (Document No. 25)
Pandith Amaradeva, was a prominent figure in developing a unique Sri Lankan music, and his creations are considered as a national heritage. The government has propose to established “Amaradeva Asapuwa” which comprises of facilities and infrastructure related to music, for bestowing this heritage to the future generation.
Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera, to established the above institution by a parliament act, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers
11. Implementation of Western region Megapolis Initiatives project Office (Document No. 29)
Above office was established in 2015 and 11 project offices have been established until the establishment of Western Region Megapolis Authority. To prevent the duplication of activities of these project, the proposal made by the Minister of Megapolis and Western Development , Patali Champika Ranawaka, to end the operation of Western Region Megapolis Planning Project, and to rename other projects in there definite titles as follows to ensure their proper implementation, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
• Western Region Air City Development Project
• Western Costal Region City Development Project
• Western Region Plantation Industries City Development Project
• Western Region Tourist City Development City
• Western Region Technological City Development Project
• Western Region Administrative City Development Project
• Western Region Green City Development Project
• Western Region Transport Development Project
• Western Region Solid Waste Management Project
• Western Region Combined Community Development Project
• Western Region Planning Project
12. Management of the fall in Pepper price. (Document No - 39)
Pepper planters have faced many difficulties with the fall of pepper price, and the Cabinet has decided to appoint a Committee Chaired by the Minister of Finance and Mass Media and comprised of the Ministers of Primary Industries, Disaster Management, Development Strategies and International Trade, Industry and Commerce, and irrigation and Water Resources Management to look in to this matter and present a report to the Cabinet of Ministers.
13. Inclusion of Ozone Friendly Tea Logo to the uniform of Sri Lanka Cricket Team. (Document No - 44)
The Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the Ozone Layer in 1992 has decided to limit the use of methyl Bromide alias Bromo-methane and accordingly, Sri Lanka has completely stopped the use of this chemical in tea plantation, which was earlier used as a pesticide. It has also been appreciated internationally.
Sri Lanka Tea Board has introduced ‘Ozone Friendly Tea Logo’ to mark this achievement, and the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to discuss with relevant parties to include this logo to the uniform of the Sri Lanka Cricket Team as a way of promoting Sri Lanka Tea in international market, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
14. Issuing a copy of the judgment to each party of the case free of charge. (Document - 47)
Currently a certified copy of the judgment could be obtained by paying relevant charges and it has been observed that some people do not have money to obtain such a copy. Accordingly, the proposal made by the minister of justice, Dr. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, to amend the Civil Procedure Code, and Criminal Procedure Code to make provisions to issue a certified copy of the judgment to each party free of charges, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
15. Improvement of Navigational Services complex of BIA, Katunayake. (Document – 49)
The proposal made by the Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, to award the above contract as recommended by the SCAPC, to a cost of Rs. 201.39 million, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
16. Construction of Pambahinna Water Supply Scheme. (Document No - 52)
The proposal made by the City Planning and Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem, to award the constructions of above contract as recommended by the SCAPC, At a cost of Rs 1019.47 million to provide safe drinking water to residents in Pambahinna, Muththettuwegama, Puwakgahawela, Karagasthalawa, Kinchigune and Kumbalgama areas and to the University of Sabaragamuwa, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
17. Purchasing of Medicine to treat patients with immunodeficiency (Document No-53)
The Proposal made by Health Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Minister Rajitha Senaratne to award the above tender as recommended by the SCAPC to an amount of USD 637,000 was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers
18. Award of contract to build a new bridge across Kelani River (Documents No 55)
The Proposal made by Higher Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella to award the Contract for Building the above bridge of 380 m with 06 lanes and its access roads to an amount of Rs. 9896 million as recommended by the SCAPC was approved by the cabinet of Ministers.
19. Disposal of buildings, goods and equipment in the Premises of Kantale Sugar Factory (Document No. 56)
Above factory is being closed for 23 years and the cabinet has already approved it to be reopened under a public – private partnership. Before reopening, all its buildings, goods and equipment should be removed and the proposal made by Land and Parliamentary Reforms Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka, to award the relevant contract to the highest bid of Rs. 540 million as recommended by the SCAPC, was approved by the cabinet of Ministers.
20. Supply of water for wild animals and for preventing forest fires in forest reserves (Document No. 61)
The proposal made by sustainable Development and Wildlife Minister, Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, to provide 10 Tractor water Bowsers to the Department of wildlife Conservation, on the above purpose, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Abbreviations
ADB - Asian Development Bank
SCAPC - Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee
