News
Economic crisis: New £3m UK humanitarian support for Sri Lanka
The UK yesterday (27) announced a £3 million humanitarian package for Sri Lanka, providing vital support to the most in need.
British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton said that “This new package will provide multipurpose cash, livelihoods and other support to those most in need across the country including: pregnant and nursing mothers, children, low-income fisherman and daily wage labourers. This latest announcement is part of our wider engagement to support Sri Lanka including through the World Bank, IMF and our long-running programmes to address the legacies of conflict.”
This funding will provide targeted assistance to the most vulnerable through UN and Red Cross partners. This comes on top of the $5m already provided to Sri Lanka through the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (to which the UK is the largest donor), and the UK’s ongoing support through the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
The UK supported a £11.2m programme running from 2019-2022 that addressed many of the issues still affecting Sri Lanka as a result of the civil war. The UK also supported the clearance of 9,733 items of explosive ordnance and landmines in the North and East, releasing 1,205,430 square metres of land which benefited 96,500 people. The programme also supported the resettlement of about 17,000 internally displaced people and refugees, provided mental health and psychosocial support to 716 people traumatised by conflict, and helped strengthen the capacity of seven community based organisations to respond more effectively to victims of sexual and gender based violence. A new £11.3m follow-up programme was announced earlier this year to build on the previous initiative.
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.
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
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.
Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses
Payment of the financial subsidy for fertilizer to farmers cultivating paddy lands for the Yala season 2026.
Ministerial Committee appointed to submit recommendations on proposed program to mitigate loss of crops to wild animals
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