News
Govt. moves to modernise National Cadet Corps
A plan is underway to modernise the National Cadet Corps (NCC) to meet current national needs, Parliament was informed last week.
Responding to a question raised by Moneragala District NPP MP Ruwan Wijeweera, Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekera said the modernisation drive would include legal reforms, curriculum upgrades, expanded training facilities and increased welfare benefits for cadet officers and instructors.
The Deputy Minister said the National Cadet Corps had been established under the Mobilisation and Supplementary Forces Act, No. 40 of 1985. The Act provides for manpower mobilisation, the establishment and maintenance of the National Armed Reserve, the National Cadet Corps, the National Auxiliary Force and other supplementary forces deemed necessary, along with matters incidental to those objectives.
He told the House that at present, 3,092 cadet officers are serving under the NCC, while 148 officers had been released by the Ministry of Education for active service as at December 5, 2025.
According to the figures presented, cadet activities are currently carried out in 2,256 schools islandwide, with a total of 4,599 cadet platoons in operation.
Answering a specific question about whether NCC activities were being modernised in line with contemporary requirements, the Deputy Minister confirmed that the government had already begun implementing such plans.
Deputy Minister Jayasekera outlined several key measures, including proposed amendments to the existing Act to facilitate increased recruitment and the overall modernisation process, the development of updated training schedules, and the expansion of training programmes at the Rantembe and Mullaitivu training centres.
Additional steps include allocating more time for cadet training and academic activities, reducing the personal financial burden borne by cadets during training, and modernising the cadeting curriculum to incorporate technical education components.
The Deputy Minister also said that the Government planned to resume the National Cadet Games Meet, which had been scheduled to be held as a national sports meet in Jaffna in December 2025 but was postponed due to inclement weather and the disaster caused by the Cyclone Ditwah.
Further welfare and infrastructure measures include increasing camp allowances for teachers and cadet officers, providing free uniforms and equipment for officers, and developing infrastructure at cadet camps.
“These initiatives are aimed at strengthening the National Cadet Corps and ensuring it remains relevant, inclusive and effective in contributing to national development and discipline among schoolchildren,” Jayasekera said.
News
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 to purchase four (04) automated passenger clearance gates for Bandaranayake International Airport.
In addition, it is expected to extend the automated passenger clearance gates facility so far given only to the Sri Lankans
parallel to the e – passport issuance system to be introduced in the year 2027 also to the foreigners who travel to and from this country.
Furthermore, considering also the number of air passengers rapidly increasing with the fast – forwarding business and tourism field, the appropriateness to increase the total automated passenger clearance gates up to twelve (12) in number has been recognized.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to initiate the procurement and installation of 12
automated passenger clearance gates altogether with the already approved four (04) and another eight (08) automated passenger clearance gates adhering to the formal procurement procedure
Based on the observations submitted by the Task Force on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 18.12.2024 to amend the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 including amendments proposed by the Financial
Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the Trust (Amendment) Draft Bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration
to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby, submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Action was taken to provide a fuel relief for the fuel consumers during the months of April, May and June of 2026 to redress by minimizing the impact caused to the day today life of the citizens of this country as well as the entire economy due to the price hike of petroleum fuel in the global market resulting from the war situation in the Middle East.
Government mediation is essential for minimizing the impact on the day to today life of citizens in this country due to that war situation not being ended further. Therefore, it has been planned to redress on the sale price for Auto Diesel and Industrial Diesel for a period of 03 months by the Government to provide relief to the public as well as to maintain the prices at a bearable level to the consumers without escalating the fuel prices in this country compared to the escalation of fuel prices
in the international market.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to
allocate provisions subject to the monthly limitations respectively as rupees 15 billion for the month of October, rupees 13.5 billion for the month of November and rupees 12.15 billion for the month of December to provide the said relief
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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