Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 2012.01-18

1. Four year Dengue Surveillance Project with Euro 1.1 million assistance from EC

• Cabinet approval was granted to a proposal made by the minister of Health Maithripla Sirisena for the Epidemiology Unit of the health ministry to carry out a four year surveillance project supporting healthcare system capacity building, and to develop an early warning system for Dengue in the country.
• It has been reported that one third of the population living in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world is at risk of Dengue virus. Due to the increasing spread of Dengue in the world, the European Commission has decided to provide funding support to set up a multi-country project in the developing countries.
• Accordingly the Epidemiology Unit of the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka has been chosen to conduct the main surveillance component of this project. The project will be implemented in Sri Lanka for the next 4 years.
• A sum equivalent to Euro 1.1 million will be received over the next 4 years to conduct this project from the European Commission..

2.Elphinston Theatre to be renovated at a cost of Rs 286 M to meet modern requirements

• The proposal made by Hon. T.B. Ekanayake, Minister of Culture and the Arts for the renovation and rehabilitation of the Elphinston Theatre, Maradana and to provide improved facilities to the public, at an estimated cost of Rs. 286 million was approved by the cabinet.
• Elphinston Theatre built in 1925 was brought under Tower Hall Foundation and was declared open after renovation along with adjoining new building -Sarasavipaya in 1988.
• Since then it has not been renovated fully and the Cabinet decided to entrust the work to the Civil Defence Force.

3. Jaffna University gets new Engineering Faculty in Kilinochchi

• On a proposal made by Mr. S.B. Dissanayake Minister of Higher Education the Cabinet approved to establish an Engineering Faculty for the University of Jaffna in Kilinochchi.
• Accordingly the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Engineering will be established at Ariviyal Nagar in Kilinochchi.
• President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting in Kilinochchi in June last year had promised to hand over the property at Kilinochchi for the purpose and the Cabinet has approved the allocation of Rs 393.79 million to renovate and develop the building.

4. 500 MW capacity Coal Power Plant at Sampoor with Indian assistance

• On a proposal made by Mr Basil Rajapaksa, Minister. of Economic Development the Cabinet decided to recognize the 2x250 MW capacity coal power project at Sampoor in Trincomalee as a Strategic Development Project in terms of the Act No. 14 of 2008 .
• Due to the increased demand for electricity in the Eastern Province, it has been decided to establish a Coal Based Power Plant of 2x250MW capacity at Sampoor in the Trincomalee District at a total investment of around US$500 million.
• The joint venture partners for this project are the Ceylon Electricity Board and the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. of India.
• Cabinet approved the publishing of notice in the gazette as required and to place it before parliament in terms of the Strategic Development Project Act.

5. Sri Lanka to Donate 7500 MT of Rice to Somalia

• Cabinet decided to donate 7500 MT of rice to Somalia and a paddy stock of 15000 MT will be released from Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts to produce rice for the purpose.
• Cabinet was informed by the Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade that the storage facilities for 100,000 MT of paddy is available in the 2011/2012 Maha season.
• It was also informed that storage facilities for additional 50,000 MT are also available with the Paddy Marketing Board in the paddy growing districts for the Paddy harvest in 2011/2012 Maha Season:
• Apart from the above, storage facilities available with the Co-operative Societies and also those that have been constructed at Oyamaduwa under the Deyata Kirula 2012 Project are also to be used for the purpose of storing paddy.

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