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Govt. decision to give two million farming families freehold land deeds will lead to shanty towns – Udaya
By Saman Indrajith
The government’s decision to give two million farming families freehold land deeds will lead to shanty towns popping up in most major towns in Sri Lanka, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila said.
Gammanpila added that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Urumaya Freehold Deed Programme could probably mark the end of Sri Lankan smallholder farming.
Gammanpila said that farmers only mad money during crop harvesting periods, i.e., at most three times a year.
“A typical farmer borrows money to cover daily expenses. Then he pays these loans with the money he makes during the harvest. Sometimes, he suffers crop losses due to natural disasters, diseases and insects. Sometimes, the farmers commit suicide, but because they do not have freehold titles, the land remains in the family,” he said.
Gammanpila said that since Independence, successive governments have given farmers deeds that are not transferable or sellable. None of these governments have freehold deeds because it was understood that farmers were in a debt trap.
“These days, farmers are facing greater economic challenges than ever. If we give them freehold land, within two years, a significant number of farming families will sell their lands. We will have so many landless people.”
The PHU leader said that most farmers are indebted to loan sharks. This is mainly the fault of banks, which are hesitant to give loans to farmers. Most bank loan schemes are aimed at monthly wage earners.
“The government recently decided that it will not purchase paddy this year. It will, however, give nine billion rupees to small and medium-scale rice millers so that they can buy paddy from farmers. If the government can come up with new schemes to support millers, it should also do something for farmers.”
About 35 percent of the workforce is in the informal sector, and the government and banks must come up with creative schemes to cater to their needs, too, he said.
“Now, the loan sharks can’t ask the farmers to keep their deeds as collateral. With freehold titles, loan sharks can ask farmers to do so, and the moment something goes wrong, these unscrupulous businessmen will take over farmers’ lands. What will the farmers do? Because of their pride, most people will come into the main towns with their families, instead of becoming a labourer. They will set up a shed, and we will soon have colonies of shanties.”
Gammanpila said that such shanty towns can be seen across South Asia. We escaped that because Presidents Ranasinghe Premadasa and Mahinda Rajapaksa pumped money into rural infrastructure. Despite the many shortcomings of the initiatives of these men, most Sri Lankan villages have schools, a road network and basic infrastructure that prevented an exodus of villagers into towns.
“These shanty towns become dens of inequity. There will be diseases and crime. Unplanned urbanization will lead to a plethora of socio-economic problems. Just look at India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, etc.”
Gammanpila said the government needs to introduce farming insurance, and state banks should come up with deposit and lending schemes for farmers. Even if we had such schemes, this is the worst time to expose farmland to market mechanisms, he said.
“The price of locally manufactured goods have doubled in the last 18 months. Price of imports has tripled. Most people are selling their assets to make ends meet. At this point, we are giving farmers another item they can sell or pawn. Why are people taking loans now? It’s to bridge the gap between income and expenses. They are not borrowing to invest. There is no way that people can pay these loans. This is the reality.”
The PHU MP said he has no problem introducing a freehold deed scheme once the economy has recovered and bank loans and insurance schemes for farmers have been established.
“Even now, there is nothing preventing farmers from joining hands with others to start collectives, establish businesses or lease the land to another farmer in the same category. There are people who have established farmer’s cooperatives. We also have other state lands that can be released for large-scale commercial agriculture.”
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Landslide RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Ududumbara, Nildadndahinna and Walapane
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued RED warnings to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours effective from 0900 hrs today [09th January].
Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Badulla, Meegahakiwula, Hali_Ela, Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla district, Minipe in the Kandy district, Ambanganga Korale, Ukuwela, Rattota, Naula and Laggala_Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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A Policy is being formulated to ensure Child Protection in the use of Technology — Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a policy is currently being formulated to ensure child protection in the use of technology.
The Prime Minister made this statement on Thursday (08) in Kandy while briefing the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters on the issue that has arisen regarding the Grade 6 English module. Thereafter, printed copies of all modules were presented to the Mahanayake Theros.
Earlier on Thursday (08), the Prime Minister visited the Malwathu Viharaya in Kandy and met the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka Thero, the Mahanayake of the Malwathu Chapter, where she explained the error that had occurred in the first print run of the English module for Grade 6 .
The Mahanayake Theros emphasized that education is a sensitive subject and that such matters should be handled with greater sensitivity and proper oversight. They further advised that a formal investigation should be conducted and that education reforms should be carried forward in a systematic manner.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya and met the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, where she clarified the error related to the English module.
The Mahanayake Thero noted that education reforms are a timely necessity and should be implemented with due oversight and careful review and also pointed out that there are broader issues in Sri Lanka regarding the use of technology, which are evident in the manner in which modern tools such as AI technologies are being used on social media.
Clarifying the issue Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated,
“We have appointed a committee to look into this issue, and based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Education (NIE), steps were taken to remove the relevant lesson. In addition, all printed copies of the relevant module have been stamped, and no module has been distributed to schoolchildren. A formal investigation into this matter has been initiated by the Ministry, and a complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department.
At the same time, we are in the process of formulating a policy on child protection in the use of technology”.
Thereafter, addressing the media and responding to the’ questions raised by journalists, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Opposition is attempting to use this national task for their own political advantage. However, many in society have expressed their views on the issues that have arisen in a positive manner, with the objective of identifying and correcting mistakes. The government has decided to move forward with education reforms by recognizing the error that have occurred and rectifying them. We will take the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition as an opportunity to further advance dialogue on education reforms”
The occasion was graced by the Most Venerable Anunayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Nayaka Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Muruddeniye Dhammarakkhita Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Malwathu Chapter, Venerable Mahawela Rathanapala Thero; Members of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe and Thanura Dissanayake; Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; and Secretary to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union in Central Province D. D. Wimalaweera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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The deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours
A RED warning for a deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka has been issued at 01.00 a.m. on 09 January 2026 for the period until 01.00 a.m. 10 January 2026 by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, of the Department of Meteorology.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka (At 01:00 a.m. on Jan 9th, 2026 located about 200 km East of Pottuvil) is very likely to intensify further and move west-northwestwards towards the coast of Sri Lanka between Pottuvil and Trincomalee in the evening today (9th January 2026.) The system is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm
during the next 24 hours.
Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance.
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