News
Two-day debate on President’s policy statement
Party leaders yesterday decided to allocate a two-day debate on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s policy statement scheduled to be delivered at the commencement of the new session of Parliament on 18 Jan.
Leader of the House Education Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told The Island that the motion for the debate would be moved by the government.
The party leaders met yesterday with Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena at the parliament complex and decided to allot sitting days, Jan 19 and 20, for an adjournment debate on President Rajapaksa’s policy statement, formerly known as the throne speech.
Both the UNP and SJB had requested an adjournment debate on the President’s Policy Statement.
Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella have made separate requests in writing to Speaker Abeywardena and Leader of the House Minister Gunawardena that an adjournment debate be held on the Presidential policy statement.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa prorogued Parliament from Dec 12. The House is scheduled to reconvene on Jan 18.
As per Westminster traditions and in accordance with constitutional provisions, the President presents the government’s policy statement at the ceremonial first session of Parliament when it meets after a prorogation.
Minister Gunawardena said that the government would also present four new bills on Jan 20. The bills would be an amendment to the Civil Procedure Code Act No 15 of 1979, Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines Bill, a bill to amend the Judicature Act No 2 of 1978, and a bill to amend the Civil Procedure Code (Chapter 101).
In addition the party leaders also decided to take up the condolence vote on former Minister Mangala Samaraweera on Jan 21.
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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The Cabinet of Ministers has decided to grant the approval to provide a financial subsidy for the farmers who are cultivating paddy in the yala season 2025 and for the farmers who are cultivating other crops in the paddy land, taking into consideration the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation.
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Cabinet approves the submission of amendments for the Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022
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Clearance of the Attorney General has been given to the revised draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman in the regard.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President in this office as the Minister of Digital Economy to publish the draft of the Personal Data Protection (Amended) Act in the government gazette notification and thereafter submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Cabinet approves amendments to Aswasuma Welfare Benefit payment Scheme
Fertilizer, financial subsidy to farmers who are cultivating the paddy in the Yala season 2025
Cabinet approves the submission of amendments for the Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022
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