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Sri Lanka to ban use of maize for production of alcohol & ethanol
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa directed the subject Minister and officials to intervene to stop irregularities in purchasing crops, including turmeric and maize, from farmers.
Local farmers have expanded the cultivation of turmeric and maize. Harvesting in the next season is nearing. The President emphasized that farmers should receive a fair price for their produce. The government should intervene to stop stockpiling by traders and other irregularities taking place, the President said.
He also highlighted the need for a mechanism to collect quality seeds for the 2021 and 2022 Maha seasons. He has given orders to destroy stocks of turmeric illegally imported by businessmen.
The Director-General of Customs and the Inspector General of Police have been instructed to strictly enforce the law against unscrupulous businessmen.
The Commissioner-General of Excise was directed to issue a gazette notification banning the use of maize for the production of alcohol and ethanol.
President Rajapaksa emphasized the need to ensure a bigger market for turmeric, maize as well as cowpea, undu, green gram, sesame and sorghum, instead of granting loan facilities to grain collectors.
Banks were instructed to identify entrepreneurs and maintain inventory information commensurate with the loan amount. President Rajapaksa also said that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka should focus on providing development financing.
All District Secretaries, Divisional Secretaries, Commissioners of Agrarian Services and field officers should purchase agricultural produce in order to strengthen the farming community, he said.
The President also instructed officials to be vigilant to prevent damage caused by insects such as Armyworm caterpillars (‘Sena’). – LBO
Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 22.07.2024 to publish the draft bill of State Assets Management Act in the government gazette notification and thereby present it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
However, the draft bill couldn’t be passed in Parliament as a result of the Parliament being dissolved in the month of October 2024.
Thereafter, the draft bill was subject to further inspection by a
committee appointed which comprised of officials and authorities on the subject.
The said Committee has recognized the amendments to be made and a fundamental draft has been prepared including the proposed amendments.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to suspend further activities regarding the draft bill of State Assets Management Act published in the extraordinary gazette of 02.08.2024, and to direct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill based on the fundamental draft prepared by the subject specialists’ committee.
Considering the compliance of the Cooperative Societies’ operations with the concurrent socio – economic circumstances as well as the changes in the common law, the requirement of amending the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 of 1972 has been recognized.
A fundamental draft including proposed amendments based on the experience gained by that Commission as well as the opinions and proposals of Cooperative societies, their director board members, cooperative employees and other interested parties has been prepared.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative development to provide instructions to the Legal draftsman to prepare a draft bill to amend the Cooperative Employees Commission Act No. 12 0f 1972, based on the said fundamental draft.
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