News
Harsha predicts 18 % VAT will have devastating effect on farming
The 18% VAT imposed on agricultural equipment and inputs as well as diesel would have a devastating effect on farming, SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva told journalists on Monday.
From 01 January, agricultural machinery and other equipment, including chemical fertiliser previously listed as exempted, would be liable to VAT. Finance Ministry officials had told the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) that dairy products such as liquid milk and eggs would also be subject to VAT, he said.
The MP said that several large scale rice mill owners were encouraging farmers to plant paddy varieties that could be used to produce keeri samba. “The yields of these varieties are 25 percent lower than those of the varieties used to produce samba and nadu, he said.
“We can see the results of this by March 2024,” he said.
MP de Silva said that a future SJB government would not allow a few oligarchs to manipulate key markets. During the Yahapalana government, he had introduced a programme to empower small and medium scale rice mill owners to boost production by giving them interest-free loans and organising them into cooperatives that could compete with large scale rice mills, Dr de Silva said.
The government provided those cooperatives with funds so that they could purchase paddy from the farmers, mill it and resell it to the cooperatives, which sold it to consumers.
“This was called the Shakthi Rice initiative. More than 200 millers and 10,000 farmers were with us. We were able to capture a market share of four percent in the harvest season. But this scheme didn’t go beyond that because Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who came into power the next year, scrapped it. We can only achieve some sort of fairness only if we do something about oligarchs,” he said.
MP de Silva said that in 2022, a family of four could live comfortably with about Rs 90,000, according to the data of the Department of Census and Statistics. Now, it required more than Rs 170,000 to maintain the same standard of living, he said.
“Yes, there are no queues, but the people are much poorer,” he said.
The SJB MP said that Sri Lanka was the only bankrupt Asian country, and it was still in a precarious place.
“India has not gone to the IMF since 1991. We too don’t need to go to the IMF, if we work together according to a well thought-out plan. We need to stop corruption and a plan that links us with international markets,” he said.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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