News
High cost of commodities drives 10 more Lankan Tamils to Dhanushkodi
With the price of sugar touching 300 Sri Lankan rupees (SLR) per kilogram, rice selling at 250 SLR and joblessness reaching new heights, 10 more Sri Lankan Tamils reached Naduthurai islet near Dhanushkodi in Ramanathapuram district in the small hours of Saturday, said a news report published by The Hindu yesterday.
It said: Speaking to reporters at Mandapam Marine Police Station, R. Pushpam (64) from Mullai Theevu in Sri Lanka said she was working as a daily wage earner. After the economic crisis started in the island nation, things turned for the worse. “There was no job. Hence, I could not get any wages. Without money, I could not buy essential commodities,” she claimed.
“Whenever I got a job in the seas, the wage earned was insufficient even to buy 100 grams of sugar as a kg is sold at 300 SLR. With my 43-year-old son, who is suffering from mental disorder, life was miserable. Hence, I sold some valuables and paid 50,000 SLR with great difficulty to the boatmen who dropped us here,” Pushpam added.
Another refugee, R. Justin (42) from Jaffna district, said prior to the economic crisis, at least jobs were assured for them, though the prices of essential commodities were high. “With no work now, feeding the family and the dependents has become a big challenge. At least if we reach Dhanushkodi, we were told, food and shelter would be taken care of,” he said.
With a three-month-old baby, he and his wife Ausiya decided to sell her silverware and a small gold chain to a pawnbroker. “We managed to pay to the boatmen who brought us to Naduthurai islet from Sri Lanka in about two hours,” he said.
The Marine Police identified the refugees as M. Jeyakumar from Mannar district (45), his wife Yogeshwari (42), daughters Tamilmathi (22) and Kanimathi (15); R. Pushpam (64) and her son Prabakar (43) from Mullai Theevu; R. Justin (42), his wife Ausiya (31) and children Ansika (3) and Anjithan (3 months).
After screening, the police handed them over to the officials at Mandapam Rehabilitation Centre. With this team, there are 199 refugees at the centre, while one aged woman died about a month ago, the officials said.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill to amend the State Mortgage and Investment Bank Law No. 13 of 1975
By Cabinet decision dated 2025-12-01, policy approval was granted to amend the definition of the term “animal” in the Animals Act No. 29 of 1958 by including, pigs, goats, and sheep, in addition to cattle and buffaloes, within the interpretation section of the act.
In accordance with the said approval, the Legal Draftsman has drafted an Amended Bill in all three languages, and the clearance of the Attorney General has also been obtained.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the
resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to publish the draft Amendment Bill in the Government Gazette and thereafter to submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
News
Cabinet approves establishment of a ‘Trust’ to carry out the management of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre
The Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre, comprising 11 floors, has been constructed with the assistance of the Government of India with the objective of serving as a hub for cultural activities in Sri Lanka and expanding bilateral cooperation for the promotion, preservation, and fostering the cultural heritage of Jaffna.
In accordance with the approval granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 2022-02-21, a Joint Management Committee has been appointed to make decisions relating to the affairs of the said cultural centre, in terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed for the operation of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre.
According to the provisions of the aforementioned MOU, upon completion of the construction of the project, the cultural centre should be transferred to the Jaffna Municipal Council through the Government of Sri Lanka.
Following such transfer, the relevant parties have reached an agreement to establish a ‘trust’ for carrying out the management activities of the centre. The Attorney General’s clearance has been received for the draft trust deed prepared for that purpose.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to establish the trust to continue the management activities of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre
Eshan Malinga keeps getting them in the second half
State Mortgage and Investment Bank Law No. 13 of 1975 to be amended
Animals Act No. 29 of 1958 amended
Cabinet approves establishment of a ‘Trust’ to carry out the management of the Jaffna Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centre
Prime Minister Keir Starmer under pressure as ministers quit, 80 MPs urge him to resign
Nahid Rana rips through Pakistan to seal a final-session win for Bangladesh
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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