March 19, 2024
tami sin youtube  twitter facebook

    Decisions taken by Cabinet of Ministers on 20.08.2019 Featured

    August 22, 2019
    1. National Policy on Technical and Vocational Education - National Education Commission Doc 06

    - The objective of the National Policy on Technical and Vocational Education is to promote access to technical and vocational training and to provide an opportunity for students to gain access from schools to technical and vocational training institutions. This will pave the way for various training opportunities in the fields, which are in demand in the labour market with high level participation by the relevant industry players and to take the necessary steps to increase the operational efficiency of the training institutions and to reap the maximum benefits from the investments made in the said fields. Accordingly, the draft Bill on National Policy on Technical and Vocational Education formulated after having obtained the contributions and expertise on a wide range of matters from the experts of the technical and vocational education fields in the Government and Private Sectors and those in the industrial sector and presented by H.E. the President, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and the LEPL Georgian National Tourism Administration in the field of Tourism Doc 11

    - The cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal made by the Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and the LEPL Georgian National Tourism Administration on Tourism. The Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority which will be authorize to sign the said Memorandum of Understanding which is valid for a period of three (03) years and will be automatically renewed for a further period of three (03) years.  

    1. Cooperation Agreement No.383 126 and No.383 127 signed with the Government of the United States of America Doc 13

    - The Government of Sri Lanka has entered into two Assistance Agreements with the Government of the United State of America in the year 2011, in order to obtain grant assistance for financing the programme of 'Strengthened Partnership for Democratic Governance and Social Cohesion' and the programme of 'Sustained and Inclusive Economic Growth'. The proposal made by the Minister of Finance to amend the Agreements increasing the grant made in regard to the said programmes from US$ 35.95 million to 47.81 and US$ 33.86 million to 44.52 respectively, extending the date of completion up to 31st December, 2022 and incorporating the 'Modern Energy Services' as an element to the programme of 'Sustained and Inclusive Economic Growth', was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Improvements of the Mihintale World Heritage Site

    - The Cabinet noted the information provided by the Hon. Prime Minister that the development of the Mihintale World Heritage Site, its renovation and lighting up could be undertaken as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project of the Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited under an expenditure of Rs.275 million (without tax).

    1. Purchasing of a land for the development activities of the University of Kelaniya

    - Since the accommodation available at the building and the premises obtained on rental basis, where the new Faculty of Computing and Technology is conducted, is inadequate to provide educational and welfare facilities for the students and essential facilities for the staff, the proposal made by the Minister of City Planning, Water Supply and Higher Education, to purchase a land with an extent of 02 acres, 02 roods and 11.60 perches facing the Colombo Kandy Road about 01 km away from the University to enable it to fulfill the said needs, for a sum of Rs.539 million on Government valuation, from the money earned by the University, was approved by the Cabinet.

                          

    1. The National Policy on Industrial Development

    - It has been identified that the disincentives such as inconsistencies in the related policies, inadequacy of the required technology and the infrastructure facilities, the dearth of skilled human resources, excessive energy cost, environmental challenges associated with industries and the shortcomings existing in the legal system have adversely affected the development and the sustainability of the industrial sector. Hence, it has become a national need of the hour to formulate a successful industrial strategy which could contribute to the development of the country minimizing the said problems. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co operative Development and Vocational Training & Skills Development to formulate the National Policy on Industrial Development, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Entrepreneurship Development Programme for 10,000 youths engaged in the Information and Communication Technology Sector

    - The Information and Communication Technology sector has been identified as a widely spread and an attractive field among the youth community of the country. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co operative Development and Vocational Training & Skills Development, to implement a project under the supervision of the National Enterprises Development Authority by selecting 10,000 youths Island-wide, who are inclined towards the Information and Communication Technology and providing them with a special training and by providing Laptop Computers, Internet Connections, the other equipment necessary and financial facilities for 3,000 successful candidates after assessing the business proposals submitted by them, with a view to providing a special training in the said field and paving the way to have opportunities to reap benefits, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Allocation of plots of land from the Regional Industrial Estates to setup Industries

    - The Regional Industrial Estates Development Programme implemented by the Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co operative Development and Vocational Training & Skills Development, is a main programme carried out with the objective of promoting industries at regional level. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Industry & Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Co operative Development and Vocational Training & Skills Development, to allocate plots of lands from the relevant Industrial Estates on a 35 year lease basis, for the 18 investors recommended by the Project Evaluation Committee of the said Ministry, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Overarching Agricultural Policy (OAP)

    - The agricultural sector policy presently in place, has been developed in the year 2007 largely focusing on the development of crop agriculture sector. As such, action has been initiated to introduce a new Overarching Agricultural Policy to suit the emerging market dynamics and accordingly, the joint Note presented to the Cabinet by the Hon. Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement & Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development and Youth Affairs and the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Economic Affairs, Irrigation and Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development, to improve the said policy draft through a consultative process open for public comments, was noted by the Cabinet.

    1. Construction of 10,000 Houses for the Plantation Community under the Indian Grant Assistance Housing Programme

    - The proposal made by the Minister of Hill Country New Villages, Infrastructure & Community Development, to invest Rs.150,000/- per house in order to provide water supply, internal access roads, electricity supply from the national grid and construction of earth retaining walls and storm water drainage of the 10,000 houses due to be constructed for the plantation community under the Indian Grant Assistance Housing Programme under the funds allocated to the Ministry, to pay an implementation fee of 1.5% of the total cost of such 5,000 houses with infrastructure facilities amounting to Rs.86.25 million to the Plantation Human Development Trust and to utilize the fund from the annual budgetary provisions allocated for the Ministry to implement the project, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Inclusion of Sri Lanka as a founder member of the Coalition on Open Justice under the Open Government Partnership

    - Sri Lanka, as a member of the Open Government Partnership is presently in the process of implementing its second Open Government Partnership National Action Plan. The Open Government Partnership Secretariat has formally planed to launch a 'Coalition on Open Justice' with the objective of enhancing OGP Member Country capacity to implement the justice related reforms for the benefit of their citizens. In this regard, the OGP Secretariat has extended an invitation to OGP Governments to become founder members of this Coalition. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Justice & Prison Reforms, for Sri Lanka to join as a founder member of the said Coalition, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Laying of a new Synthetic Running Track at the Bogambara Stadium

    - The Bogambara Stadium administered by the Sugathadasa National Sports Complex Authority is a main divisional athletic Training Centre of National Sportsmen and Sportswomen. Presently, there are 2 stadiums with synthetic running tracks in Sri Lanka and they are situated in the Colombo District. Since, the building a synthetic running track in the Bogambara Stadium situated with less population and averagely attitudinal venue and easily accessible for sports personnel of all provinces, is a timely need, the proposal made by the Minister of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports, to implement same as a new project, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Submission of Regulations made under Section 41 of the Sports Act, No.25 of 1973 in Parliament

    - The Gazette (Extraordinary) Notification No. 2128/8 18th June 2019 has been issued by further amending the Regulations of the National Sports Associations of No.01 of 2016 published in the Gazette (Extraordinary) No.1990/23 of 27th October 2016 and the (amended) Regulations No.2006/13 of 13th February 2017. As such, the proposal made by the Minister of Telecommunication, Foreign Employment and Sports to present the Gazette (Extraordinary) No.2128/8 of 18th June 2018 issued with a view to regularizing the administration of the National Sports Associations through conducting Sports Association Elections in a regular and a fair way under the present trends, in Parliament, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Supply, Installation and Commissioning of Baggage Screening X-Ray Machines with explosive detection capability at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake

    - The proposal made by the Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation to call for bids from the suppliers who have the potential to supply explosive detection systems for supply, installation and commissioning of 09 explosive detection systems at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport with an external funding, following procurement guidelines, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Obtaining of 2000 buses for strengthening the bus fleet of the Sri Lanka Transport Board

    - The proposal made by the Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation to call for Expression of Interest and Proposals to invite local / foreign investors to add 2000 buses to the fleet of the Sri Lanka Transport Board, with a view to providing a comfortable and qualitative service to the public, was approved by the Cabinet.

    1. Amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act

    - The Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act and the amendments related thereto provide for the registration of marriages and divorces of Sri Lankan Muslim community. There were some concerns in the Muslim community as well as among human rights activists that certain provisions of the said Act should be amended. Accordingly, the joint proposal made by the Minister of Postal Services & Muslim Religious Affairs and the Minister of Justice & Prison Reforms to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation to amend the said Act incorporating amendments to provisions pertaining to matters such as the Age of Marriage, Registration Procedures and Consent of Marriage etc., was approved by the Cabinet.

    dgi log front

    recu

    electionR2

    Desathiya