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SJB yet to decide on specific course of action – MP Perera
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was yet to decide on a specific course of action in the aftermath of presidential and parliamentary elections held last year, Kalutara District lawmaker Ajith P. Perera said.
MP Perera, who is also the Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s nominee at the Constitutional Council, said that they weren’t in a hurry and were in the process of looking at all options. The attorney-at-law said that a cohesive opposition political grouping would be much better than going it alone.
The former UNPer said so when The Island asked him whether the SJB would initiate talks with the UNP to bring the parties together following the recent appointment of ex-Minister Thalatha Atukorale as General Secretary of the UNP.
“We welcome her appointment in place of Range Bandara. However, talks between the two parties are not in the offing at the moment,” lawmaker Perera said.
Earlier former UNP MP Ruwan Wijewardena said that their efforts to patch up last year failed due to disagreement on key issues pertaining to the presidential election.
Asked whether the SJB intended to conduct talks with the UNP on the basis of it being the bigger party in terms of parliamentary representation, MP Perera emphasised that it wasn’t the issue here.
The SJB secured 40 seats at the last parliamentary election whereas the UNP managed to obtain just one seat but that too happened to be a member of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) contesting Nuwara Eliya District.
MP Perera acknowledged the responsibility on the part of the Opposition to reach consensus on a political strategy meant to advance what he called public aspirations.
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Concessionary priced food packages for new ‘Aswesuma’ applicants from 01st to 13th April
In keeping with the proposal by the President in his 2025 budget, for the provision of a package essential goods at a concessionary price during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival season, it has been planned to provide a food package containing essential food items valued at Rs. 5000/- for only Rs. 2,500/-.
It is expected to select appropriate beneficiaries from among the 812,753 candidates who have submitted new applications for Aswesuma benefits.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development jointly with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to take necessary steps to provide the food package to the beneficiaries through the Lanka Sathosa outlet network and COOPFED outlets from 01.04.2025 to 13.04.2025
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The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Safety and Cooperative Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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