News
‘Prez reluctant to lockdown country because of the poor’
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa could lock down the country within seconds, but he would not do so out of his concern for millions of people who had not contracted COVID-19 and were eking out a living on a daily basis, Minister of Trade, Bandula Gunawardane said yesterday following an inspection tour of the Pettah wholesale markets.
“Some people ask us to lock down the country. There are millions of people who have not contracted COVID-19. We have to think of them as well,” he said.
Commenting on shop owners closing down business operations in over 30 towns across the country due to the spread of COVID-19, the Minister said that even if all shops around the country were closed, the government would ensure that public needs were met.
Traders’ associations of another 15 towns were to suspend operations from yesterday.
“Even if all retail shops are closed, we will keep Sathosa open. However, we won’t forcibly open any private shops that have been closed down,” the Trade Minister said.
Meanwhile, the Association of Medica Specialists President Dr. Lakkumar Fernando said that the decision to close shops voluntarily was a positive move given that COVID was spreading rapidly.
“The traders have taken this step realising that there is no other way to stop people coming into towns. I think this is a good example of civic-minded people taking action to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” he said. (RK)
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to provide the required provisions to purchase the green gram harvest in a competitive manner with the private sector by expanding the program initiated by the National Food Promotion Board, on the advice of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation,
Green gram has been cultivated in an area of about 16,500 hectares in the 2025 Yala Season and intermediate season and a harvest of about 14,600 metric tons of green gram is expected. Currently, green gram harvesting has started in the Hambantota district, and it has been reported that middlemen are buying the harvest for a low price of Rs. 450/- per kilogram.
Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 08-02-2021 to award 326 bridge construction contracts to the State Development and Construction Corporation for the construction of bridges across the island under the Rural Bridges Program.
The construction of a further 23 bridges has been assigned to the Road Development Authority.
It had been decided in the year 2022, to stop the construction of 184 bridges, where construction had not been initiated. The construction of 45 bridges from the 142 remaining bridges have already been completed.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban
Development to recommence the construction of the remaining 74 bridges by the State Development and Construction Corporation and to complete the construction expeditiously.
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.06.2025 to repeal the Parliamentary Pension Act No. 1 of 1971 of the State Council.
In keeping with the promise given to all Sri Lankans who supported the vision of ‘A wealthy country – A beautiful life’ which appeared in the policy declaration of the Government, a draft bill has been prepared by the Legal Draftsmen for
repealing the Parliamentary Pension Act with the objective of cancelling pensions rights given to elected members of the Parliament and their spouses.
As the Attorney General has given clearance to the draft bill, the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justic and National Integration to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently to be presented to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Vijayakanth Viyaskanth added to Sri Lanka squad for tri-series
Purchasing of 2025 green gram harvest
Cabinet approves the completion 74 bridges under the Rural Bridge Program
‘Heartbroken’ Alcaraz pulls out of Davis Cup Finals
Parliamentary Pension Act No. 1 of 1971 to be repelled
Cabinet nod to appoint Dr. (Eng.) K. Waligepolage as Director General of Irrigation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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