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Divisional Secretaries’ Union agrees to support continuation of Aswasuma Welfare Program
Chairman of the Welfare Benefits Board, Jayantha Wijeratne, revealed that during a meeting that took place at the Presidential Secretariat today (07), the Union of Sri Lanka Divisional Secretaries agreed to support the continued implementation of the Aswasuma welfare benefits program
The meeting was attended by key dignitaries, including Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe, President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, as well as President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and a team of officials from the Ministry of Public Administration
A key component of the decision includes the appointment of dedicated officers at village level to ensure the efficient implementation of the Aswasuma welfare program which will enhance the program’s delivery and impact.
Additionally, Mr. Wijeratne, addressed the existing technical challenges facing the Aswasuma welfare program, assuring that prompt solutions will be implemented to facilitate its continued progress.
The Aswasuma welfare benefit program, which is being carried out under the provisions of the Welfare Benefits Act No. 24 of 2002, and subsequent amendments, was approved by the Cabinet on December 15, 2022. The program, as detailed in Special Gazette No. 2302/23 dated October 20, 2022, encompasses welfare benefit payments across four social categories: transitional, vulnerable, poor, and extremely poor. Moreover, it extends financial support and allowances to individuals with disabilities, the elderly, and kidney patients.
The Paddy Marketing Board has approximately 115,000 metric tonnes of paddy stocks purchased from farmers, which are currently stored in the Board’s warehouses, and it has been planned to retain a sufficient buffer stock from these reserves and sell the remaining quantity in order to provide the necessary storage space and financial resources for the purchase of paddy from farmers during the upcoming Yala season.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to sell the aforementioned paddy stocks
following a formal tender procedure.
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Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, appointed as Director General of the Department of Management Services
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to appoint Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, an officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service in the Special Grade who is currently serving as an Additional Director General of the Department of Management Services, to the post of Director General of the Department of Management Services with immediate effect.
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Cabinet approval for Implementation of a Project for the Joint Exchange of Genetic Resources between Sri Lanka and Vietnam and the Development of High-Yielding and Salinity-resilient Rice Varieties.
With the objective of improving the productivity of paddy cultivation, a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the agricultural sector was entered into on 2025-05-05 between the Department of Agriculture of Sri Lanka and the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Under the afore Memorandum of Understanding, both parties have agreed to implement a project titled “Joint Exchange of Genetic Resources and Development of High-Yielding and Salinity-resilient Rice Varieties through Hybridization between Sri Lanka and Vietnam.”
The activities proposed to be carried out under the said project include the exchange of germplasm materials of rice varieties between the two countries, the conduct of joint breeding and hybridization programmes, the evaluation and selection of advanced breeding lines under local conditions, the establishment of field trials, the training of research officers, and the exchange of knowledge.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation for the implementation of the proposed project
Cabinet approves sale of Paddy stocks held by the Paddy Marketing Board
Amendment to the Promotion of Export Agriculture Act, No. 46 of 1992 to be gazatted
Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, appointed as Director General of the Department of Management Services
Cabinet approves collaboration agreement between Sri Lanka and Brazil for the implementation of the “Sugarcane Project in Sri Lanka”
Cabinet approval for Implementation of a Project for the Joint Exchange of Genetic Resources between Sri Lanka and Vietnam and the Development of High-Yielding and Salinity-resilient Rice Varieties.
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