News
Latest appointments to Sectoral Oversight Committees
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne yesterday (8) informed Parliament of the latest appointments made by the Committee of Selection to six Sectoral Oversight Committees, along with several other key parliamentary bodies including the Committee on Parliamentary Business, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).
The members appointed to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations are Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, Sagarika Athauda (Attorney-at-Law), Nilanthi Kottahachchi (Attorney-at-Law), Kanthasamy Prabu, Wijesiri Basnayake, Thilina Samarakoon, and Lakmali Hemachandra (Attorney-at-Law).
To the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, the nominated members include Manjula Suraweera Arachchi, K. Ilankumaran, Ravindra Bandara, Danushka Ranganath, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha, and Geetha Herath (Attorney-at-Law).
Appointed to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital are Aboobucker Athambawa, Krishnan Kalaichelvi, Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Sujeewa Dissanayake, Sanjeewa Ranasingha, and Sunil Rajapaksha.
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health, Media and Women’s Empowerment will comprise Muneer Mulaffer, Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, Samanmali Gunasingha, Prof. Sena Nanayakkara, Dr. S. Sri Bavanandarajah, Jagath Manuwarna, and Ruwan Mapalagama.
For the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability, the members appointed are Roshan Akmeemana, Upul Kithsiri, M.A.C.S. Chathuri Gangani, Susantha Kumara Nawarathna, Sudath Balagalla, Kitnan Selvaraj, and Bhagya Sri Herath (Attorney-at-Law).
The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Science, Technology and Digital Transformation will be served by Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Arkam Ilyas, Lasith Bhashana Gamage, Thanura Dissanayake, Hasara Liyanage (Attorney-at-Law), Dr. Janaka Senarathna, and Chandima Hettiaratchi.
Additionally, the Speaker announced that Wasantha Samarasinghe, Sundaralingam Pradeep, and Aboobucker Athambawa have been appointed to the Committee on Parliamentary Business. Aboobucker Athambawa, Arkam Ilyas, and Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran have been nominated to the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), while Sunil Rathnasiri has been appointed to the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).
Latest News
Payment of Compensation to the people who have lost their cultivable lands in implementing the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project
Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 27-06-2012 to provide cultivable agricultural lands from the lower Uma Oya valley to 276 farming families in Hali-Ela, Walimada, and Uva Paranagama Divisional Secretariat Divisions who have lost their cultivable lands due to the acquisition of lands for the
Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.
However, the aforementioned proposal could not be implemented due to the encroachment of a large portion of the identified lands by unauthorized persons, heavy forest cover, the threats posed by wild elephants, remoteness from their original settlements, and difficulties in adapting to other environmental conditions and social anomalies.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to pay an estimated compensation of Rs. 12 lakhs for each of these 276 farming families, based on the
recommendations submitted by the Cabinet Sub-Committee appointed to provide solutions for the issues arising in the implementation of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project.
News
Draft Bill of the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka to be Gazzated
Policy approval was granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 07.04.2025 to prepare a draft bill to establish the Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka in order to accomplish the requirement of a training institution to carry out studies in order to create chartered media professionals and mould intelligent media personalities with skills in order to enhance the quality and standard of the media society.
Clearance of the Attorney General has been received for the final draft prepared by the Legal Draftsman for the purpose.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to publish the draft bill of Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka in the Government Gazette Notification and thereafter submit the same for the concurrence of the House.
News
Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 to be amended
The Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 has enabled provisions to impose telecommunication levy. The budget 2026 has proposed to introduce amendments for the act including changes imposed from time to time regarding the telecommunication levy.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated a draft bill for
amending the Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 including provisions to extend applicable to envisage all the tax amounts applicable from the year 2015 along with the telecommunication levy existing at present, applicable of taxes on unrecovered revenue (bad debts) and to extend the provisions of that act to cater the telecommunication suppliers.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said draft bill in the Government Gazette Notification and subsequently to submit the same for the concurrence of the House.
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