News
Disbursing of cultivation loans for coming Maha begins
By Ifham Nizam
The release of cultivation loans by the Govi Jana banks to farmers for the upcoming Maha season started yesterday at the Netolpitiya Agrarian Development Centre.
The total land area to cultivated with paddy in the coming Maha season is 814,678 hectares.
The issuance of crop loans for the 2022/23 Maha season commenced under the participation of Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, Mahinda Amaraweera. Rs. 50,000 each was issued by the minister to 11 loan beneficiaries. The issuance of this crop loan is done under the Agricultural Bank Pilot Project.
The Govi Jana banks have released Rs. 7124 million to 207,103 farmers during this year.
Some 154,641 farmers have repaid their crop loans, amounting to Rs.5472 million by August 2022.
During that period, 49,385 farmers have not yet taken steps to pay back Rs. 1576 million.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had decided to write off Rs. 688 million from the loans taken by the farmers from the state banks, Minister Amaraweera said.
The banks which have written off loans will be reimbursed by the Treasury within two years.
The amount allocated by the government for the implementation of the loan scheme in the current year is Rs. 350 million.
Amaraweera said that the government had taken steps to provide this relief to 28,259 farmers who had drawn loans from state banks to cultivate paddy of two hectares or less.
The minister also emphasised that the decision taken by the government to write off the crop loans will bring great relief to farmers even though there is an economic crisis in the country.
News
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
The book “Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” ,authored by Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mahinda Siriwardana, was officially launched this morning (08) at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo, with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The first copy of the publication was formally presented to President Disanayake by Mr. Siriwardana during the event.
It has been reported that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias ‘Pilleyan’ has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
A meeting between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and senior officials of SriLankan Airlines was held this afternoon (April 8) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The discussions mainly focused on proposals to transform SriLankan Airlines into a more profitable state-owned enterprise. Special attention was also given to possible short-term and long-term solutions for the airline’s debt management.
The talks further explored new investment opportunities for the airline. The President instructed the officials to take all necessary steps to transform SriLankan Airlines into a profit-making entity.
Although the airline has recorded operational profits, due to past mismanagement and poor decision-making, it remains one of the leading loss-making state enterprises. The current government has decided to reverse the previous administration’s decision to privatize the airline. Instead, it plans to continue operating it as the national carrier while introducing a new management structure to ensure its profitability moving forward.
Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, President’s Senior Advisor Duminda Hulangamuwa, Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Sarath Ganegoda along with several senior officials of SriLankan Airlines, were present at the meeting.
“Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival – Reflection on the Journey from Crisis to Recovery” by Mahinda Siriwardana presented to the President
Former state minister arrested by CID
President meets with senior officials of SriLankan Airlines
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