1. Public Debt Management (Document No – 10)

 

            Government plans to reduce public debt to 70% as a percentage of GDP by 2020 and some of the proposals presented by various parties including Governor of CBSL are as follows:

• (i) Gradually increase public income as a percentage of GDP
• (ii) Make public investment on programmes than give swift benefits.
• (iii) Reduce obtaining loans for public investments by attracting domestic private sector or foreign investors for public investments.
• (iv) Reduce the effect of large scale state enterprises by improving their financial and operational status.
• (v) Issue local loans prudently.
• (vi) When loans can be obtained with a low interest, pay loans obtained at a high interest using such low interest loans.

            Above proposals and challenges faced in implementing them, presented to the cabinet by Hon. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs were considered by the Cabinet of Ministers.

 

2. Implement a pilot project for controlling dengue mosquito through ‘Wolbachia’ bacteria under assistance of the Australian Government (Document No – 11)

 

Proponent –   Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine Minister Rajitha Senaratne

Description – It was decided to implement above project in selected areas in Colombo District. Bacteria prevent the development of dengue virus within the body of mosquito. More than 400 lives were lost in 2017 due to dengue disease.

 

3. Establishment of comprehensive treatment centres for infertility (Document No – 13)

 

Proponent – Health, Nutrition & Indigenous Medicine Minister Rajitha Senaratne

Description – More than 15% of Sri Lankan married couples suffer from infertility and it was decided to establish above treatment centres. First centre is to be established in Castle Street Maternity Hospital and second centre will be established in new maternity hospital at Karapitiya and island wide centres will be established as its third phase.

 

4. Implementing the Governance for Growth Programme (Document No – 14)

 

Proponent – Finance & Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera

Description – Australian government agreed to provide a grant for the above programme to be implemented in next 05 years and it was decided to sign a controlled agreement with the Government of Australia.

 

5. Regularizing and updating present method of visa issuing (Document No – 16)

 

Proponent – Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs Minister S. B. Navinna

Description – It was decided to collect visa charges in US Dollars instead of Sri Lankan Rupees and to add following to the visa issuing method.

• Recommendation of visa for investors/employees in BOI zones by the Secretary of the Ministry which BOI comes under.
• Charge a fine of USD 500 in addition to visa charge from foreigners whose visa period has expired.
• Provide residential visa for foreign student covering the whole academic period.
• Issue residential visa up to 10 years for foreigners who remit more than USD 500,000 to Sri Lanka.
• Issue spouse visa for foreigners up to 05 years and for their children who are married with Sri Lankan citizens.
• Issue residential visa for 02 years to foreigners whose Sri Lankan spouse is dead who has resided continuously for 10 years in Sri Lanka or who have children under 18 years of age, for employment purpose.
• Issue a permanent residence visa for former Sri Lankans who have already obtained the citizenship of another country who cannot apply for dual citizenship.

 

6. Provide a land lot for constructing a service providing centre regarding an aquaculture project (Document No – 17)

Proponent – Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera

Description – Above project expects to produce about 2000 MT fisheries products annually and it was decided to provide a land of 01 acre to Global Ceylon Sea Food (Privae) Ltd., on lease basis for 30 years.

 

7. Making relief for families affected by land acquisition regarding Ella Wewa Reservoir (Document No – 23)

 

Proponent –   Irrigation & Water Resources Management Minister Wijith Wijayamuni Zoysa

Description – It was decided to provide alternative lands and a justified compensation for 20 affected families.

 

8. Establishment of New Villages Development Authority for estate areas (Document No – 27)

 

            Agreement made on the bill drafted by Legal Draftsman on the above purpose were presented to cabinet by Plantation Industries Minister Navin Dissanayake and Upcountry New Villages, Infrastructure and Community Development Minister U. Palani Thigambaram and Cabinet has decided to proceed on the said bill.

 

9. Reconstruction of main building of the National Archives Department (Document No – 29)

 

Proponent –   Education Minister Akila Viraj Kariyawasam

Description – It was decided to reconstruct above 07 storied building which is about 40 years old.

 

10. Preparation of a Common Accounting Scheme for Local Government Institutions according to Public Sector accounting standards (Document No – 31)

 

Proponent -    Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Faizer Mustapha

Description – A new accounting scheme is to be implemented in all local government institutions from 2018.  This project is implemented under World Bank aids.

 

11. Paying Compensation for victims of the incident occurred on 15.06.2014 – 16.06.2014 at Beruwala and Aluthgama areas in Kalutara District (Document No – 32)

 

Proponent – Prison Reforms Rehabilitation Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Minister D. M. Swaminathan

Description – It was decided to pay compensation for 273 affected families for damaged household equipment and other properties.

 

12. Promotion of performance of sports teams of national pool aiming at International Competitions (Document No – 33)

Proponent – Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara

Description - Currently 159 athletes are trained in above pools and an allowance of 10,000/- to 80,000/- is paid for them. It was decided to improve them by taking various action including releasing them fulltime from their occupational environment.

 

13. Award of Contract to obtain Consultancy Services for Supervision of Construction of road section from Bibile to Chenkaladi (86.75 km) (Document No – 38)

 

Proponent –   Higher Education & Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella

Awarded to – Resources Development Consultants (Pvt) Ltd.

Cost –             LKR 258.3 Million

 

14. Award of contract for Construction of New Vocational Training Centre, Horana (Document No – 41)

 

Proponent –   Skills Development & Vocational Training Minister Chandima Weerakkody

Awarded to – M/S Asiri Constructions

Cost –             LKR 141 Million

 

15. Award of contract for offshore sand digging and pumping for reclamation work in Muthurajawela area, Kerawalapitiya and for collecting sand reserves (Document No - 44)

 

Proponent –   Megapolis & Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka

Awarded to – M/S Rohde Nielsen A/S

Amount –       USD 19.97 Million

 

16. Award of Contract for construction of pilling foundation of proposed multi-storeyed office complex to be built in Sethsiripaya premises (Document No – 45)

 

Proponent –   Megapolis & Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka

Awarded to – M/S San Piling (Pvt) Ltd.

Cost –             LKR 1,155 Million

 

17. Award of Contract for Rehabilitation of underground rain water drainage system, Kandy (Document No – 46)

 

Proponent –   Megapolis & Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka

Awarded to – Ludwig Pfelfter (Germany) – Gypsum Structural (India) (Pvt.) Ltd.

Cost –             LKR 1,016.3 million

 

18. Award of contract for construction of a wind barrier around Coal yard and Ash yard of Lakvijaya Power plant, Puttalam (Document No – 48)

 

Proponent –   Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya

Awarded to – Laugfs Engineering (Pvt) Ltd. And Sanken Construction (Pvt) Ltd.

Cost –             LKR 723.7 million

                        Present wind barrier is to be improved to face high windy situations as it causes difficulties in such time to surrounding residents.

 

19. Purchasing of uniforms and other clothing material for Sri Lanka Police and STF (Document No – 52)

 

Proponent –   Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayake

Description – It was decided to purchase required material from domestic textile manufacturers registered under Industry and Commerce Ministry at a cost of LKR 257.3 million.

 

20. Award of contract for consultation of comprehensive design and bid assistance of stage I of Anuradhapura North Water Supply Project (Document No – 53)

 

Proponent –   City Planning & Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem

Awarded to – M.S NJS Consultants Co. Ltd. Of Japan which is affiliated with M/S Ceywater Consultants (Pvt) Ltd. And M/S EML Consultant Co. Ltd. of Sri Lanka

 

21. Making relief to journalists who have been harassed within the period of 2005 to 2015 (Document No – 56)

 

            Opportunity has been given for above journalists to forward their appeals on the above matter and a Cabinet Subcommittee has been appointed which was chaired by former Foreign Affairs Minister to make recommendations in this regard. Later the period for forwarding appeals was extended to 01 May 2017 and 14 more appeals were received. The proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena to appoint a new Cabinet subcommittee as follows for making recommendations on these appeals was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

• Finance & Mass Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera
• Disaster Management Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa
• Land and Parliamentary Reforms Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka