Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 17.01.2013
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- Published on Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:51
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1. Govt to establish three livestock farms with 4500 imported dairy animals
The Government has decided to develop 3 farms belonging by the National Livestock Development Board at Bopaththalawa, Nikaweratiya and Siringapatha with 4500 upgraded dairy animals at a total cost of US$ 28.5 million.
The stage one of the project will involve the supply of 2000 cattle under an agreement already signed. The l st batch of 500 cows has already arrived and they are housed at the Bopaththalawa farm. The balance of 1500 cows are scheduled to arrive in the country shortly.
With the view to accelerating local milk production the remaining 2500 cows are to be imported during 2013in order to make the country self sufficient in milk production.
The proposal made by Arumugan Thondaman, Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development, to appoint a Cabinet Appointed Negotiating Committee and a Technical Evaluation Committee to proceed with the project, was approved by the Cabinet.
2. Total needs of the School Uniforms to be locally Manufactured from 2014
The Cabinet of Ministers decided to appoint a Cabinet Sub-Committee under the chairmanship of Mr. Ratnasiri Wicicremanayaka, Minister (Senior) for Good Governance and Infrastructure to make recommendations to develop the local textile industry to ensure 100 percent domestic supply of materials for school uniforms from 2014.
This follows two reports on the manufacture of School Uniform Materials by Domestic Manufacturers submitted separately by Mr. Rishard Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce and Mr. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education.
It was observed that 50% of the total requirement of School Uniform Materials required for distribution among school children throughout the county for the year 2013, has been supplied by the Domestic Manufactures and also that the manufacturers have assured that they have already taken steps to enhance their production capacity by installing new machinery in their factories and will be able to supply the total requirement of school uniform material domestically in 2014.
3. Additional Funds for the Payment of Salary Increase due to the 2012 SLTB
Salary Revision and for the Payment of Allowances granted in terms of 2012 & 2013 Budget Proposals to Employees of Sri Lanka Transport Board - on the proposal made by Hon. Kumara Welgama, Minister of Transport for an additional allocation in 2013 to make the above payments to the Sri Lanka Transport Board employees, Cabinet approval was granted for the provision of R.s.2800 million by the General Treasury in 2013 to meet the above commitments.
4. Sale of Paddy purchased by the Paddy Marketing Board from Farmers
- On the proposal made by Hon. Johnston Fernando, Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, Cabinet approval was granted for the sale Of the stock of 97,500MT of paddy available with the Paddy Marketing Board stores in different parts of the Island, purchased from the farmers during the Yala Season 2011 and Maim Season 2011/2012. It was observed that paddy harvesting of the Maha Season 2012/2013 in the Ampara District is scheduled to commence in the first week of February 2013 and the Paddy Marketing Board expects to purchase around 160000 MT of paddy from the harvest of the Maha Season 2012/2013.
5. Bilateral Agreement with Ukraine
- The proposal made by Mr. Mahindanenda Aluthgamage, Minister of Sports, to sign an Agreement on Bilateral Co-operation in the Field of Sports between Ukraine and Sri Lanka was approved by the Cabinet.
6. Two Hostels for 100 Female and 100 Male students of the Vavunia Campus at Pampelmadu, Administered by the Jaffna University - Stage.II
The proposal made by Mr. S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Higher Education to construct a two storied building at the above campus to accommodate 100 male students and 100 female students, at a total estimated cost of Rs229 million, in keeping with the increased intake of students to universities, with finds allocated wider the Medium Term Budgetary Framework, was approved by the Cabinet. The project is intended to be completed in 2014.
7. Procurement of 200 Nos. small Buses for rural areas
- The proposal made by Hon. Kumara Welgama, Minister of Transport for the purchase of 200 numbers 33 seater buses at a unit price of Rs.3,520,760.00, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), to cater to the rural areas of the country, was approved by the Cabinet.
8. Greater Colombo Transmission and Distribution Loss Reduction Project
It has been observed that the electricity demand in the Greater Colombo area has increased rapidly due to the development and investment promotion activities initiated by the government. The government of Japan has agreed to provide a loan amounting to Japanese Yen 15,941 million (approximately Rs.23,912 million) through Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) for the above project. The objective of the project is to construct a transmission and distribution network in the Greater Colombo area to strengthen the transmission and distribution capacit% increase reliability of power and reduce transmission losses. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning to enter into a loan agreement for the purpose, was approved by the Cabinet.
9. Major Bridges Construction Project of the National Road Network –
The proposal made by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to construct 37 major bridges connecting to the National Road Network with loan facilities to be provided by the Government of Japan amounting to Japanese Yen 12,381 million (approximately Rs.18,572 million) through Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), was approved by the Cabinet.
10. Landslide Disaster Protection Project of the National Road Network –
The government of Japan has agreed to provide loan facilities amounting to Japanese Yen 7,619 million approximately Rs 11,423 million through Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) for the above project. This project Will cover the identified risk areas in the Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to proceed with the project, was approved by the Cabinet.
11. 13 roads of Colombo National Highways to be developed with OPEC fund
The OPEC Fund for International Development has agreed to provide loan assistance in a sum of US$ 50 million for implementation of the Colombo National Highways Project.
The Project is expected to widen and improve 13 road sections covering 65 Km and to meet the expenditure involved in the reconstruction of the Nawala Bridge on the Nawala - Nugegoda road.
The proposal made by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to proceed with the project, was approved by the. Cabinet.
12. Joint Commission to be established with United Arab Emirates
The proposal made by Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs, to sign the agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Government of the United Arab Emirates for the establishment of a Joint Commission between the two countries for the purpose of promoting co-operation in various fields and strengthening existing bilateral relations, was approved by the Cabinet.
