Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 18.04.2012

1.Establishment of branches of State Banks at Warakapola in a single building –

• Warakapola Town Development Project is being implemented by the Urban Development Authority. UDA has acquired 1.6643 Ha of land in Warakapola Town for the implementation of Warakapola Town Development Project.
• The President in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development has proposed to construct a multi-storied building by the Urban Development Authority to house branches of the People's Bank, Bank of Ceylon and the National Savings Bank.
• Three blocks of lands 40P in extent each have been identified in the aforesaid acquired land to allocate to the People’s Bank, Bank of Ceylon and National Savings Bank respectively.
• Accordingly the Cabinet has granted approval to allocate said blocks of lands to the above mentioned three State Banks on 30 years lease basis for the construction of their branch offices.

2.Cancer project for the patients in the Northern Province – (Trail Project)

• Jaffna Teaching Hospital has basic cancer treatment facilities and two (02) wards have been allocated for males and females for the purpose.
• It is proposed to construct a new Pediatric High Dependency Unit at Base Hospital Tellipillai as there is no space to establish a separate ward for children at Teaching Hospital-Jaffna. To fulfill this urgent requirement the Colours of Courage Trust (COC) which is a charity organization has made an undertaking to construct a Radiation Treatment Centre at the Base Hospital and to donate medical equipment for the Paediatric High Dependency Unit at the Teaching Hospital, Jaffna. This Project is called “Trail”
• On a proposal made by Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, the approval of the Cabinet was granted:-
• To sign the Memorandum of Understanding among four parties, the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Ministry of Northern Province, National health Development Fund and the donor – COC Trust
• To implement this “Trail” project in the Northern Province with the financial assistance of COC Trust at a total estimated cost of Rs.200,000,000.00 (Rupees two hundred million).

3. Urgent Improvements to Bandarawela and Diyatalawa Water Supply Schemes –

• On a proposal made by Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage the Cabinet granted approval for the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to carry out the following urgent improvements needed to upgrade the above two (02) water supply schemes, to meet the prevailing demand for drinking water in the area.
• improvements to Elletota and Aluthwela intakes;
• supply and installation of two (02) low lift pumps and two (02) Booster pumps at Aluthwela;
• improvements to Diyatalawa and Bandarawela water treatment plants;
• intake dam improvement at Kahagolla and Rohampton,
• The increased output from both treatment plants would provide adequate drinking water to 7000 additional service connections.
• The total estimated cost of the project is Rs.252.7 million.

4.Panduwasnuwara - Hettlpola Town Development Project –

• Hettipola town and Panduwasnuwara sacred area which belongs to the Panduwasnuwara Pradesheeya Sabha in the Kurunegala District has an archeological value with a very good tourist attraction.
• On a proposal made by A.L.M. Athaullah, Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils, the Cabinet granted approval to develop Hettipola Town and Panduwasnuwara Sacred Area under a formal town development plan.
• A sum of Rs.40 million has been allocated for this project in the 2012 Budget Estimates.

5.Upgrading the National Institute of Traditional Medicine and the Bandaranaike Memorial Ayurvedic Research Institute to the Status of Autonomous Statutory Institutions-

• Minister of Indigenous Medicine, Salinda Dissanayake has proposed to upgrade the above two institutions to the status of Autonomous Statutory Institutions since the majority of the employees and the trade unions of the institutions concerned show no objection to the proposal.
• Accordingly, the Cabinet granted approval to prepare necessary legislations to upgrade the above two (02) institutions to the status of autonomous statutory institutions.

6.Ceylon Ceramics Corporation - release of EPF contributions before reaching the age of 55 years for employees who opt to receive Voluntary Retirement Compensation –

• On a proposal made by Dayashritha Tissera, Minister of State Resources and Enterprise Development the Cabinet granted approval to release the EPF contributions of the employees of the Ceylon Ceramics Corporation who have opted to retire under the Voluntary Retirement Scheme, before reaching the age of 55 years.

7.Construction of Headworks of Moragahakanda Reservoir

• Cabinet approval has already been granted for the construction of Moragahakanda Reservoir along with Kaluganga Reservoir as it will facilitate to meet the long term demand for domestic and industrial water needs in the North Central, Northern and Eastern Provinces.
• On a proposal made by Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and as authorized by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Review Committee (SCARC), the Cabinet granted approval to award the EPC contract for the construction of Head-works of Moragahakanda Reservoir Project to SINOHYDRO for a sum of US$ 252,302,221, (US Dollars Two Hundred and Fifty Two Million Three Hundred and Two Thousand Two Hundred and Twenty) and to enter into a Commercial agreement accordingly.

8.Hosting of Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-12) & Global Industry Leaders Forum (GILF) of the International Telecommunication Union – October 03-05, 2012

• The International Telecommunication Union (lTD) is the UN Specialized Agency responsible for telecommunication / information and communication technology (ICT) and comprises 193 governments and over 700 private companies.
• Sri Lanka has been elected unanimously to the Chairmanship of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization (CTO) at its 50th CTO Council Meeting in 2010 and was re-elected until 2012.
• The Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR) of ITU is a high level global event to share and exchange information among National Regulatory Authorities from both developed and developing countries.
• Around 500 participants from 192 Member States including Telecom Ministers are expected to attend this event. The Global Industry Leaders Forum (GILF) which runs parallel to GSR, is an event of the Telecommunication Development Sector bringing together Chief Executives from the ICT Industry.
• The proposal submitted by the President to host the above events and to proceed with matters connected thereto, was approved by the. Cabinet.

9. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka –

• With the view to further strengthening the existing friendship and economic cooperation between the two countries, the Government of Korea has agreed to provide technical and financial assistance for development programmes of Sri Lanka.
• On a proposal made by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, the Cabinet granted approval for the Minister of External Affairs, (Prof.) G.L. Peiris, to sign the Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments for the above purpose, during the proposed official visit of the President of Sri Lanka to Korea from 23-27 April 2012.

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