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JVP smells rat in payment made for nano nitrogen fertiliser

Published

5 years ago

2021/10/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Minister says imports facilitated by Indian HC

By Saman Indrajith

The JVP says the government has deposited USD 1.275 million in an account of a private company as payment for the recently imported Nano Liquid Nitrogen Fertiliser from India, in violation of due process.

JVP propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath told Parliament on Friday that the Treasury had requested the People’s Bank to release USD 1.275 million as payment for nitrogen fertiliser, on 18 Oct.

“Due process for this type of transaction is to make payments from the accounts maintained by the Ceylon Fertiliser Company Ltd. However, President’s Secretary, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera ordered the People’s Bank to open a separate private account at its Town Hall Branch under the name ‘United Farmers Trust Limited’ (UFTL) on 18 Oct,” MP Herath said.

Herath said that after opening the account, funds of the People’s Bank had been transferred to the said company account.

“Directors of this company are named as Mohan Perera, G. M. Weerasinghe. Who are these people? Are they public servants? Parliament has a right to know how the payment was made to the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO),” the MP said.

Herath said that the UFTL had paid USD 300,000 to IFFCO and another USD 50,000 as freight charges while another USD 37,000 was as payments. “This is only a part of the total payment. What happened to the rest of the money?” the JVP MP demanded to know from the government.

“It has also been revealed that a Director of UFTL Ltd.’ has repeatedly requested People’s Bank to convert the remaining money into local currency. Why is that? This is a serious concern. Parliament has control over public finance, but we have been kept in the dark about this matter. The government should investigate this immediately,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that it was the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka which facilitated the fertiliser imports.

“The IFFCO has appointed the UFTL as its Sri Lankan representative. That is why the government paid the money to them and they opened the LCs for the import after that,” the minister said.

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President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

6 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]