News
Rahuman flays govt. for ban on wheelchair imports
By Saman Indrajith
Samagi Jana Balavegaya Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman yesterday demanded to know why a wheelchair exports had been banned.
Pointing out that the regulations listed in the Parliament Order Paper under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act referred to wheelchairs as banned items, MP Rahuman asked whether the government was expecting the disabled persons, and patients, to crawl on their bellies.
“There are many people abroad sending wheelchairs as donations to poor people who cannot afford them. The government has banned the import of wheelchairs.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena asked MP Rahuman to present the latter’s case briefly.
MP Rahuman: The Chair should not tell MPs to be brief and present the problems in a few words.
This is a serious question. We are here to present people’s problems. We have been sent by people here to raise their problems. When we do so, don’t order us to be brief. These regulations have been brought by the government in the order paper. Let us speak about it.
“The government is going to pass this in the House. Let us point out this unjust act so that they could rectify the error.
Leader of the House Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said that the regulations had been listed in the Order Paper after they were approved by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance, SJB MP Dr. Harsha de Silva: Do not try to place the blame on me. The government sends us reports without analysis. They just send these regulations only with a description. There are 26 committee members who are supposed to approve them. Ask the government to send us the regulations with an analysis.
The Leader of the House: The regulations on import and export are prepared by the Finance Ministry. We will ask them to send to the committee an analytical report on regulations hereafter.
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’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Foreign News2 days agoSearch continues for Royal Navy crew member missing off Donegal coast
-
Sports6 days agoAn opportunity missed for Sri Lanka
-
Features6 days agoMiss Universe 2025 More ‘surprises’ before Crowning day!
-
News6 days agoOxford Walk raises $13,000 for rural communities in Sri Lanka
-
Opinion7 days agoContributions of Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka and its future role
-
Features5 days agoTraffic chaos in Kandy: Urgent government intervention needed
-
Business6 days agoDialog and MEPA Unveil Sri Lanka’s First 5G-Enabled Autonomous Water-Surface Cleaning Robot
-
Features6 days agoThe ‘Art’ of Diplomacy