News

JVP Leader highlights dire situation country is in

Published

4 years ago

2021/12/2

by Saman Indrajith

JVP leader Anura Kumara told Parliament yesterday that the time had come for people to cry in unison for the harm inflicted on the nation by rulers, since independence.

Participating in the third reading debate on Budget 2022, Dissanayake asked whether anyone could be proud of the way the country had been ruled so far.

“The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation owes USD 3,400 million to the People’s Bank and Bank of Ceylon. What we have is an internationally bankrupt petroleum corporation. The monopoly on petroleum should be in the hands of the state for the sake of national security. Those who call themselves patriots in the government are now trying to break that monopoly. Because of their conduct, the state monopoly on petroleum is in danger,” Dissanayake said.

Dissanayake said that due to the debts of the CPC, stability of BOC and the People’s Bank was also in danger. “These are the burdens on citizens. When opening an LC through BOC and the People’s Bank to import fuel, there should be a three-percent guarantee on the LC from a foreign bank. This is the situation. What are you going to do to solve this crisis? Do you have any plans?” the MP demanded to know.

“A fuel ship arrived in Sri Lanka waters recently and it had to be anchored in the sea for nearly a week because Sri Lanka did not have dollars to pay for the oil. At last, the CBSL had to release USD from foreign reserves. When petrol should be bought on an emergency basis, no one submitted bids. This is the situation. What are you going to do now?”

Not only that, a Cabinet paper was submitted by Minister Udaya Gammanpila to get a loan of USD 2.5 billion from an American Company.

“The interest rate for the loan is three percent while the commission is seven percent. What kind of rubbish is this? According to this, the commission would be USD 175 million. How can the commission be higher than the interest on a loan? What kind of loan is this? Why are you taking loans to pay commissions like this?” the MP queried from the government.

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Cabinet nod to accept Japanese government grant of 08 used low floorboard buses

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

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.

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

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

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/4

Priyan

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.