News
MONLAR complains of another project to help govt. cronies
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The government was planning to distribute 70 to 350 acres of land that belonged to the Land Reform Commission among political henchmen, Chinthaka Rajapakshe, Moderator of the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR) alleged yesterday.
Rajapakshe told The Island that the Cabinet had on 07 June approved a proposal submitted by Minister of Lands, S. M. Chandrasena to start 35 compost making projects in 25 Divisional Secretariat areas in the North Western Province.
“Some businessmen will be given two to 10 acres of LRC lands besides Rs. 20 million each for the projects. This money too will come from an LRC fund to the tune of Rs. 2 billion and the interest from this fund is used to pay the salaries of workers. The proposal doesn’t really say how they will recover the loans,” he said.
MONLAR moderator said that the Minister had been authorised to appoint a committee to decide on lands to be given and select businessmen for the projects. Given that the sole authority lies with the Minister, political henchmen are likely to be selected, he said.
“We think that the initiative should be farmer-led. The project also needs to integrate animal husbandry. There should also be a mechanism to ensure that the lands will be used sustainably. The government must also decide what to do with these lands after the project ends. None of these have been thought of. So it is obvious that this is a scheme to please political henchmen,” Rajapakshe alleged.
Minister Chandrasena was not immediately available for comment.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development to recognize the “Sri Lanka National Export
Development Plan – 2026–2030” as the official strategic framework for export development and promotion of exports in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Export Development Board, in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders connected to the export sector, has formulated the National Export Development Plan 2026–2030 by obtaining technical assistance under the Policy-Based Lending Programme of the Asian Development Bank.
The aforementioned Plan provides a comprehensive strategic framework to guide and monitor Sri Lanka’s export development process, with the target of earning US$ 36 billion in foreign exchange through the export of goods and services by the year 2030
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs to accept the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform for Sri Lanka.
Approval has been granted by the Cabinet of Ministers on several earlier occasions to amend the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003.
In accordance with the approval granted at the Cabinet
meeting held on 2023-05-02, the Legal Draftsman is currently in the process of preparing the relevant amended Bill, and the Legal Draftsman has informed that it would be appropriate to obtain policy approval from the present Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
Accordingly, taking into consideration the necessity of restructuring the Consumer Affairs Authority too, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative
Development to instruct the Legal Draftsman to expeditiously complete the preparation of the relevant Bill to enable the amendment of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003.
Cabinet approves recognition of ‘Sri Lanka National Export Development Plan – 2026–2030’
Cabinet nod to accept the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform for Sri Lanka
Cabinet grants policy approval to amend the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003
Cabinet approal for Legal Draftsman to prepare a Bill to enable the amendment of Finance Business Act, No. 42 of 2011
M.S. Mahadiulwewa appointed act in the post of Director General of Commerce
Wimal S.K. Liyanagama appointed Director General of Customs
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News7 days agoRooftop Solar at Crossroads as Sri Lanka Shifts to Distributed Energy Future
-
News2 days agoCJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict
-
News6 days ago“Three-in-one blood pressure pill can significantly reduce risk of recurrent strokes”
-
News3 days agoUSD 3.7 bn H’tota refinery: China won’t launch project without bigger local market share
-
News6 days agoAlarm raised over plan to share Lanka’s biometric data with blacklisted Indian firm
-
News5 days agoTen corruption cases set for court in May, verdict ordered in one case – President
-
News4 days agoEaster Sunday Case: Ex-SIS Chief concealed intel, former Defence Secy tells court
-
News6 days agoUSD 2.5 mn fraud probe: Interdicted MoF official found dead at home