News
House sittings limited to two days this week
By Saman Indrajith
The party leaders yesterday decided to limit Parliament sessions only for two days during the next sitting week. Accordingly, the House will meet today and tomorrow.
Leader of the House and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that a decision had been made in view of the prevailing situation in the country and a final decision on parliamentary sessions in the future would be made in the coming days, considering the pandemic spread.
Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said that it had been decided to continue the business of Parliament while fully adhering with the COVID-19 health regulations.
He said that six orders, under the Special Commodity Levy Act and a resolution under the Customs Ordinance, would be taken up for debate in Parliament today (19) at 10.00 a.m. Accordingly, the time period, from 10.00 am to 11.00 am, had been allotted for Members of Parliament to present Questions for Answers, limited to 10 queries.
Secretary General Dasanayake said that an Adjournment Motion by JVP and NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka was scheduled to be taken up tomorrow (20) from 11.00 am to 4.30 pm.
Whilst Parliament sittings for the day shall proceed without a lunch break, a time period of an hour from 10.00 am to 11.00 am has been allotted for Questions for Answers.
Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena, Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando, Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella, Ministers Chamal Rajapaksa, G. L. Peiris, Dullas Alahapperuma, Douglas Devananda, and MPs Mahinda Samarasinghe, Dilan Perera, Rishad Bathiudeen, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Mano Ganesan M.A. Sumanthiran were present at the meeting.
Parliament sources said that several doctors from the Office of the Director General of Health Services, who recently conducted PCR tests in Parliament, were also called before the meeting for the purpose of consultation regarding the conduct of parliamentary sittings, adhering to all health guidelines.
During the initial discussions held, it was advised that since there was no danger in Parliament, House meetings could be held in strict compliance with all health regulations, the Secretary General of Parliament had opined, sources said.
The Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme has been implementing from 01-07-2023 and this scheme has been finally amended by the Extra Ordinary Gazette No 2415/66 dated 21-12-2024.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to publish the following through a Gazette Notification, amending the benefits provided under the presently empowered Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme within the provisions allocated by the budget estimate for the year 2025.
• To extend the period of entitlement of benefits for the transitional social category included in schedule 1 of the Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme up to 30-04-2025.
• To increase the monthly assistance payment from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 provided to persons with disabilities and receiving treatment for kidney diseases and elderly persons, respectively, that are included in Schedule II of the said scheme and to
implement the said decision from April 2025.
• To extend the period of payment provided for the disable persons, kidney patients, and elderly persons given in the Schedule II, up to 31-12-2025 subject to the above proposals.
• Even though the payment of allowances under the transitional social category will be stopped after April 2025, the period of payment for disabled persons, kidney patients, and elderly persons, of these families will be extended up to 31-12-2025.
• Payment of relevant eligible persons by inclusion of newly forwarded applications of disabled and kidney patients subject to the maximum limit up to 31-12-2025.
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