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Decisions taken by the Cabinet at its Meeting held on 2014-07-10

July 10, 2014

01. Resettlement Program for the Occupants of Underserved Settlements and Temporary Shelters in the City of Colombo and its Environs - the Government has initiated a programme to accelerate the Underserved Resettlements in the city of Colombo to be implemented by the Urban Development Authority and the objective of this programme is to provide houses with modem facilities to upgrade the living standards of the underserved occupants. The proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development, to construct a 15 storied housing complex for the purpose was approved by the Cabinet.

02. Providing priority for the Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturers when drugs are purchased for the State Healthcare Services - the proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, to procure the balance quantity of drugs which cannot be supplied by the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation to meet the total requirement of the Government Hospitals, and the other western drugs needed for Government Hospitals but not manufactured by the State Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Corporation from Local Western Drug Manufacturers, at prices negotiated by a Committee of Officials, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

03. 3rd International Conference on Community and Water Services - August 2014 - the above Conference is to be held in Kandy from 22st to 24th August 2014 under chairmanship of Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and a number of countries within the region 'such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan and Maldives are, expected to attend to this Conference. This Conference is aimed at providing a platform for sharing knowledge, strategies and best practices and to promote dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation among communities, managing their water schemes. About 500 delegates from different Community Based Organizations, Policy Makers, Researchers, Academia, UN Agencies and International Development Agencies are expected to participate at this Conference. The above information was .furnished to the Cabinet by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage.

 

04. Cooperation Agreement on the Establishment of "Water Supply and Waste Water Management Master Plan" for Matara and Hambantota Districts in Sri Lanka - the proposal made by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, for signing of a Cooperation Agreement on the establishment of a “Water Supply and  Waste Water Management Master Plan” for Matara and Hambantota Districts. between the National Water Supply and Drainage Board of Sri Lanka and Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute of Korea, was approved by the Cabinet. The possibility of covering the entire Southern Province will also be considered.

 

05. Social Integration Week - July 14 - July 20, 2014 - the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration had carried out activities Island-wide successfully with the assistance of the Government Institutions and other stakeholders under theme "Education for Social Integration" during the Social Integration Week in the year 2013. This year's Social Integration Week will be held from 14th to 20th July 2014 for the 3rd consecutive year, under theme 'National Unity through Social Integration' and several activities / programmes such as Kite Festival. Launching of Trilingual Magazine, Inter-School Speech Competitions etc., will be held during this week. The above information was furnished to the Cabinet by Hon, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Minister of National Languages and Social Integration.

 

06. Annual Executive Council Meeting of Asia Pacific Postal Union (APPU) in Sri Lanka from September 15-19 - the above Meeting is to be held from 15th to 19th of September 2014 in Colombo, where about 150 epresentatives from 32 Member countries will participate. The inaugural ceremony is to be held on 15th of September under the patronage of H.E. the President. The above information was furnished to the Cabinet by Hon. Jeevan Kumaranathunga, Minister of Postal Services.

 

07. Transfer of a Land owned by Tangalle Depot of the Sri Lanka Transport Board to Ha/Tangalle Balika Maha Vidyalaya - the proposal made by Hon. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education, to transfer a block of land in an extent of 04 Acres and 18.7 Perches situated in the Tangalle Divisional Secretary's Division of the Hambantota District, belonging to the Sri Lanka Transport Board, to the Ministry of Education, for the relocation of Ha/Tangalle Balika Maha Vidyalaya, with the view to providing enhanced facilities to the school children in the area was approved by the Cabinet.

 

08. Transfer of a Land for the Establishment of Ratnapura Model Secondary School - the proposal made by Hon. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education. to transfer a block of land 5.1670 hectares in extent, located in the Ratnapura Divisional Secretary's Division and owned by the Urban Development Authority, for the construction of a new National School in Ratnapura consisting of 10 parallel classes from Grade 6 to Grade 13, with the view to providing enhanced education facilities to the students of the Sabaragamuwa Province, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

09. Payment of compensation for land acquisitions made for Matara-Hambantota Extension of Southern Expressway and the Construction of the Northern Expressway - the proposal made by Hon. Janaka Bandara Thennakoon, Minister of Lands and Land Development, to adopt the provisions stipulated in the Land Acquisitions (payment of Compensation) Regulations - 2013 published in the Government Gazette No. 1864/54 dated 2014-05-30, for the payment of compensation to the parties affected due to land acquisitions for Matara- Hambantota Extension of Southern Expressway and the Construction of the Northern Expressway, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

10. Project on Respect Yourself Respect Others (RYRO) -  RYRO is a massive social impact project to be initiated by the National School of Business Management Ltd. (NSBM) functioning under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development. It uses a scientifically designed innovative mechanism to change both aggressive and passive types of rnindsets, especially of the youth, which are harmful to social development, to personalities who respect themselves and respect others. The project will reach all the stakeholders in the society including Schools, Universities, Higher Educational Institutes, Government and Semi-Government Institutions, Private Sector Organizations etc. The proposal made by Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth\ Affairs and Skills Development, to proceed with the relevant activities, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

11. International Conference on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) - 2014 - the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development in collaboration with the German Government and other Associate Partners of the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, Korea International Cooperation Agency, International Labour Organizations and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government, has made arrangements to hold the above Conference on 15th and 16th of July 2014 in Colombo to commemorate the National Skills Day which falls on July 15th as declared by the Government. Participation of renowned professionals from many countries such as India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, United, Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Malaysia. South Korea, Thailand. Australia and Samoa have already been confirmed. The above information was furnished to the Cabinet by Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development.

 

12. Declaration of a National Sports Day - the Ministry of Sports, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education, has taken action to create a sports culture by initiating activities such as providing opportunities to engage in sports in work places, creating jogging paths, encouraging employees towards sports and making the subject of sports mandatory in schools. The proposal made by Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Sports, to declare 06th of April, the day proclaimed by the United Nations Headquarters as the International Day of Sports for Development and Peace, as the National Sports Day in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

13. Presentation of Regulations made by the Minister of Sports under Section 34(1) of Convention against Doping in Sports Act No.33 of 2013, to the Parliament - the proposal made by Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Sports, to present the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 1863/4 dated 2014-05-19 containing Regulations relating to the above, in Parliament for approval, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

14. Construction of the Telecommunication Media Centre at the Hambantota Information Technology Park by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka - the proposal made by H.E. the President, to award the contract for the construction of the proposed Telecommunication Media Centre as recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (CAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.

 

15. Construction of Kokilai Bridge and approaches across Kokilai Lagoon on Mulaitivu - Kokilai - Pulmudai Road - it has been proposed to construct a new bridge across the Kokilai Lagoon on Mulaitivu - Kokilai - Pulmudai Road so as to provide continuous land connectivity on the coastal belt between the Eastern Province and the Northern Province. The proposal made by H.E. the President in his capacity as the Minister of Highways, Ports and Shipping, to award the above contract, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.

 

16. Tender for Supply of 800,000 Vials of Biphasic Isophane Insulin Injection - BP, 1000TU/10ML - the proposal made by Hon. Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Health, to award the above contract, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.

 

17. Implementation of Priority Water Supply Projects with funding secured from Local Banks with a Treasury Guarantee - Award of Contracts for Four Projects - the proposal made by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, to award the following contracts as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet:


* Contract for Towns East of Colombo District Water Supply Project - Package 1;
* Contract for Ruhunupura Distribution Water Supply Project;
* Contract for Ampara Distribution Network Water Supply Project; and
* Contract for Bentota Water Supply Project.

 

18. Emergency Material Procurement for 100%. Electrification Works - the Government has achieved 100% electrification levels in seven Districts, during the period 2005 to 2013. The proposal made by Hon. (Mrs.) Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Minister of Power and Energy, to procure the necessary material in order to reach the 100% target in the other seventeen Districts as well, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

19. Developing Infrastructure Facilities of Jaffna, Sabaragamuwa, Kelaniya, Peradeniya, Buddhist and Pali and Eastern Universities - the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dissanayake, Minister of Higher Education  to implement the following construction projects pertaining to the above six Universities was approved by the Cabinet:


* University of Jaffna

(i)     construction of building for the Faculty of Graduate Studies.
(ii)     construction of Sports and Recreation Complex (Gymnasium).


* Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka

(i)     construction of Building for the Faculty of Geometrics - Stage II.


* University of Kelaniya
(i)     extension of the five storied building for the Faculty of Social Sciences.
(ii)     multipurpose building at the Faculty of Medicine - Stage - I.

 

* University of Peradeniya

(i)     construction of the three storied building for the Department of Geology - Stage - II, Faculty of Science.


* Buddhist and Pali University, Homagama
(i)     construction of proposed Vice Chancellor's Quarters.


* Eastern University of Sri Lanka
(i)     building complex for the Faculty of Agriculture.

 

20. Award the Contracts of Building Constructions in the Universities of Peradeniya, Kelaniyat Wayamba and Moratuwa - the proposal made by Hon. S.B. Dlssanayake. Minister of Higher Education, to implement the following construction projects pertaining to the above Universities, was approved by the Cabinet:


* University of Peradeniya
(i) construction of five storied building complex for the Faculty of Dental Sciences.


* University of Kelaniya

(i)  construction of a building for the Information and Communication Technology Centre.


* Wayamba University of Sri Lanka - Kuliyapitiya

(i) construction of the building for the Faculty of Applied Sciences.


* University of Moratuwa

(i)     construction of Lecture Hall Building for the Faculty of Architecture.
(ii)     construction of multipurpose building for the Faculty of Engineering.

 

21. Printing of School Text Books to be Distributed for the year, 2015 - the proposal made by Hon. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Education, to entrust the printing of 29,115,800 copies of 351 categories of school text books for a total cost of Rs.l,840,639,050.00 to 22 Printing Institutions, as  recommended by the Standing (Special) Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.


22. Fertilizer Procurement - 2014 - the proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister of Agriculture, to award the procurement for 18,000 MT of Urea, as recommended by the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (SCAPe), was approved by the Cabinet.

 

23. Project for Establishment of Vocational Training Centre in Colombo and Improving the Technical College of Gampaha - the Government of Sri Lanka and the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) have signed a loan agreement for the implementation of a project for establishing a Vocational Training Centre in Orugodawatta area in the Colombo District and to improve the Gampaha Technical College under EDCF loan facilities. The proposal made by Hon. Dullas Alahapperuma, Minister of Youth Affairs and Skills Development, to obtain consultancy services for the purpose from the Korean University of Technology and Education, was approved by the Cabinet.

 

24. Procurement of School Uniform Materials for the year 2015 - the proposal made by Hon, Durninda Dissanayake, Minister of Education Services, for the procurement of a total quantity of 8,571,000 meters of uniform material and 300,000 meters of robe material from domestic textile manufacturers, to be distributed among school children in Government Schools and bhikku students for the year 2015, as recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee (CAPC), was approved by the Cabinet.

 

25. Mid Year Fiscal Position Report - 2014 - H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, submitted the Mid Year Fiscal Position Report - 2014 to the Cabinet, which includes information on Government revenue, expenditure, cash flow activities and borrowings within the first four months of the year, and also data on macroeconomic performance, foreign financing, Government debt, external sector performance and performance of State Owned Enterprises depending on the availability of data. Cabinet approval was granted to submit the above Report to Parliament.

(KH/SI)