USD 600 mn grants among USD 5 bn development assistance

India has launched a grant project to provide over 1,000 sanitation units/toilets for the people of the Batticaloa district. The Batticaloa project is among over 20 grant projects that are at various stages of implementation.

The Indian High Commission spokesperson in Colombo said that a Project Steering Committee (PSC) meeting on construction of sanitation units/toilets in the Batticaloa District was convened on Monday (5) under the co-chairmanship of Deputy High Commissioner Vinod K. Jacob and Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture.

The meeting was held in hybrid format with participation of District Secretariat, Batticaloa and other relevant stakeholders.

The official said: “Construction of sanitation units in Batticaloa is being undertaken as a grant project by Government of India. The PSC meeting focused on the revision of modalities for fast-tracking the construction of over a thousand sanitation units in Batticaloa District to enhance the public health conditions of the people in the region. This project is a reflection of India’s continued commitment to carry out human-centric projects in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

The official added: “India’s overall development assistance to Sri Lanka stands at more than USD 5 billion with nearly USD 600 million being grants. Close to 65 grant projects have already been carried out across the 25 districts of the country. Currently, over 20 grant projects are at various stages of implementation. Indian Housing Project and 1990 Suwaseriya ambulance service are among the flagship grant projects implemented by India in Sri Lanka.”

Having handed over the manifesto of the Eksath Janaraja Peramuna to Election Commission Chairman Nimal Punchihewa, yesterday (06) at the Election Secretariat, Rajagiriya, its leader MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said that the Local Government polls couldn’t be postponed any further on the false declaration that the incumbent administration lacked funds.

The former Minister said that the expenditure on government events in the recent past showed that the money was no longer an issue.

Pointing out that the electoral registers would be updated in July this year, lawmaker Ranawaka said that conducting Local Government polls in terms of the old electoral registers was a matter for concern. The MP urged the government to conduct LG polls before the revision of electoral registers or call fresh nominations if the election was to be held after July.

Lawmaker Ranawaka said that they were strongly opposed to a controversial move to appoint former heads of Local Government authorities to supervise them instead of conducting the election (SF)

By Saman Indrajith

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana informed Parliament yesterday that the Supreme Court had determined that certain sections of the Anti-Corruption Bill were inconsistent with the Constitution.

At the commencement of business of the House, the Speaker announced that he had received the Determination of the Supreme Court in respect of the Bill, titled “ANTI–CORRUPTION,” which was challenged in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.

The determination of the Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the Bill, titled “ANTI–CORRUPTION,” is as follows: Clauses 1, 2(1)(f), 2(2), 3(2), 4(1)(a), 4(1)(b), 4(3), 17(1), 21, 31(2), 163(2)(h), 40, 48(3), 49(1)(f), 50(1)(a), 53(1), 62(1), 65, 67(5), 71(6) & (8), 80, 93, 99, 101, 112, 149 and 162 of the Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution.

However, these inconsistencies will cease if the amendments as set out in the Determination of the Supreme Court are made to the Bill.

In addition to the said amendments, the Supreme Court has held that the learned Additional Solicitor General has informed the Court that amendments to Clauses 8(3), 136, 141, 142, and 156 of the Bill as set out in the Determination will be made to address several concerns raised by the Petitioners.