News

Party leaders to meet today to fix date for resumption of debate on Batalanda

Published

10 months ago

2025/05/2

Party leaders are scheduled to meet today in the Parliamentary complex to fix a date for the resumption of the debate on the Batalanda Commission report.The Committee on Parliamentary Business is scheduled to meet today from 9.30 am.

A decision on parliamentary business for the next sitting week will be taken at the meeting.

During the meeting a decision is expected to be taken on the date for the second day of the debate on the report of the Commission of Inquiry into the alleged

establishment and operation of illegal detention centres and torture chambers in the ‘Batalanda’ Housing Scheme.

Parliament last convened on 10 April while the next sitting is scheduled for 8 May.

The report of the Commission of Inquiry into the alleged establishment and operation of illegal detention centres and torture chambers in the ‘Batalanda’ Housing Scheme has been handed over to the Attorney General.

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Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to accept 08 used low floorboard buses offered as a grant by the Government of Japan.

News

Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.

Published

1 hour ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

While approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 18.08.2025 to pay the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Maha season 2025/26, the programme is planned to be continued for the Yala season 2026 as well.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to pay a financial subsidy of Rupees 25,000/- per hectare and for a maximum of 02 hectares per farmer for paddy cultivation and to pay Rupees 15,000/- per hectare for field crops cultivated in paddy lands[maximum of 02 hectares per farmer]

News

Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals

Published

2 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

The rural agricultural livelihood and food security have been severely impacted due to the damage caused by wild animals such as elephants, wild boars, monkeys, toque macaque, squirrels, and peacocks roaming around human habitats and cultivated lands.

Animal-human conflicts and property destruction have mostly been reported around these areas, and serious social and economic issues have also arisen.

Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation has prepared a comprehensive program based on the opinions of all stakeholders, including the public, university community, farmers’ organizations, environmentalists, non-governmental organizations which work for environmental issues, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Agrarian Development, and other relevant organizations.

Taking into consideration the report submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, the Cabinet of Ministers has decided to appoint a ministerial committee with the participation of other relevant ministers, chaired by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, to submit appropriate recommendations on how the aforementioned program should be implemented by further reviewing the proposals included in the said program and incorporating new proposals.