2021-11-19
News Categories : Committee News
The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) disclosed that 214 employees recruited in 2018 for the project of issuing one million deeds by the Land Reforms Commission have been confirmed without the permission of the Department of Management Services. It was revealed that the recruitments were made on a contract basis with the approval of the Cabinet and since then, the group has been confirmed on the basis of a circular issued in 2014. COPE Chairman (Prof.) Charitha Herath pointed out that a serious error had been made by confirming a group of recruits who were recruited for a project without the permission of the Department of Management Services and that this situation set a wrong precedent for other government agencies as well.
Accordingly, the COPE Chairman instructed the Mr. R.A.A.K. Ranawaka, Secretary to the Ministry of Lands and Land Development to conduct a formal investigation at the Ministerial level and submit a full report to the COPE within a month and to take immediate action to rectify this situation.
These facts were disclosed at the COPE meeting held chaired by Prof. (Prof.) Charitha Herath recently (17) to examine the Auditor General's reports for the years 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the current performance of the Land Reforms Commission.
The COPE Chairman pointed out that the extent of lands acquired during land acquisition by the Land Reforms Commission established under the Land Reforms Act No. 01 of 1972 and the lack of accurate data on the lands which were disposed by each government during the period was a serious concern. It was revealed that the Commission now owns nearly 1.7 million acres of land and that value is not accurate. The Secretary to the Ministry of Lands and Land Development pointed out that this was due to the lack of proper surveying during the acquisition of lands and the transfer of lands under various governments.
The Committee pointed out that since it is essential for the Commission to have accurate data as well as valuation on these lands which are the main assets of the Commission, it is essential that the lands be properly assessed and a definite document with a basis be prepared in this regard. The COPE Chairman instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to prepare an expeditious program and inform the COPE on the possibility of using modern drone technology for this purpose.
The Committee stressed the need to digitize the data on these lands using modern technology. The committee pointed out that it would solve many problems, including various irregularities, and instructed the Secretary to intervene immediately.
The Chairman of the Land Commission stated that some files pertaining to the acquisition have been lost. It was revealed that nearly 200 such files have been lost. The Chairman instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to look into this matter immediately.
The Committee emphasized the need to rectify this situation as land grabbing by people has become a serious problem instead of putting it to more effective use. It was also revealed that out of the lands acquired under the Land Reforms Act of 1972-1974, there are 260 unoccupied 50-acre lands due to non-submission of plans and declarations. Accordingly, the Committee instructed the Secretary to the Ministry and the Chairman of the Land Commission to open a special window and intervene to resolve this issue within the next six months as this process which has been delayed for 50 years has become a historical issue.
Though the valuation of nearly 1.7 million acres of land owned by the Commission many years ago was mentioned Rs. 676 million, the committee pointed out that the value should be corrected according to the present status. As the value of an acre is around Rs. 500, the COPE Chairman instructed the Chairman of the Land Commission to take necessary action within six months to rectify this problem immediately.
It was also revealed that after leasing the lands of the Commission, it has become a problem to obtain loans by mortgaging those lands to the banks. It was revealed that this occurs due to the fact that the businessmen have the ability to obtain a mortgage with the permission of the Commission as stated in the terms of the transfer of the land they have obtained. There was also a question as to whether certain lands would be utilized effectively after being handed over to the Divisional Secretaries.
Commenting on this, the COPE Chairman said that the main task at present is to identify the extent of assets owned by the Commission and to prepare a model for its effective organization. Prof. Herath said that as this is a matter of national interest, the committee will be reconvened in the future to work out a definite plan with the stakeholders including the Survey Department.
Hon. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Hon. State Minister Indika Anuruddha, Hon. Members of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka, (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, Eran Wickramaratna, Nalin Bandara, Madhura Withanage were present at the committee meeting.
2025-10-29
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) questioned the North Western Provincial Council over its decision to adopt a “Design and Build Procurement Process” for a six-storey office complex, resulting in a higher financial burden on the Council, despite no feasibility study report having been obtained Although the North Western Provincial Council, together with the Kurunegala Municipal Council, had called for tenders and entered into an agreement with a contractor for the construction of the six-storey office building, it was disclosed before COPA that the construction work has now been suspended due to an ongoing supervisory inquiry. It was also disclosed that a feasibility study report, which is a prerequisite for such a project, had not been obtained. Furthermore, COPA emphasized that choosing the Design and Build Procurement Process which shifts the entire design and construction responsibility to the contractor, for a standard six-storey office building (not of a special nature) was problematic, as it imposed an unnecessary financial burden on the Provincial Council. These matters were discussed during the meeting of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), chaired by Hon. Kabir Hashim, Member of Parliament, held on 23.10.2025, to examine the Auditor General’s Reports for the years 2023 and 2024 and the current performance of the North Western Provincial Council. Accordingly, COPA decided to summon the respective officials for further examination of this construction project and recommended that within one month, all recommendations, procurement documents, technical committee reports, and all other related records pertaining to the project be submitted to the Auditor General. COPA also inquired into the recovery of loan funds and overdue interest provided by the Department of the Food Commissioner through the Department of Co-operative Development of the North Western Province to paddy-producing co-operative societies. It was recommended that a report including the measures taken to recover these funds, along with a timeline, be submitted to COPA within two months. Further, although the Provincial Land Commissioner’s Department had been instructed to prepare a comprehensive record on state lands, COPA observed that such records were not being properly maintained to allow identification of all state lands, details on lands given on long-term lease with or without approval, and arrears in lease rentals. COPA emphasized that officials must take action without hesitation to recover monies due to the government and assured that the Committee will extend all necessary support to ensure this. Accordingly, the Committee recommended that a report on the total amount expected to be recovered by the end of this year be submitted. It was further revealed that due to ongoing supervisory issues, approximately Rs. 85 million in tax arrears could not be recovered, and COPA directed that a detailed report on this matter also be submitted to the Committee. The meeting was attended by COPA Members including Hon. Deputy Ministers Aravinda Senaratne and Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), and Hon. Members of Parliament (Dr.) Janaka Senarathna, T.K. Jayasundara, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law and Sunil Rathnasiri.
2025-10-29
A discussion aimed at sharing agricultural development experiences and expanding future cooperation opportunities between the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and a Chinese delegation led by Yan Yalin, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Yunnan Province, was held recently (Oct. 24) at the Parliament premises. The meeting was chaired by Hon. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, during which discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the fields of tea, coffee, and tobacco cultivation. Expressing his views at the discussion, Hon. Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne stated that preliminary discussions had already been conducted at the ministerial level and that this meeting aimed to facilitate in-depth dialogue between the delegation and Members of Parliament on these sectors. Appreciating the continuous support extended by China to Sri Lanka’s development process over the years, the Hon. Deputy Minister also emphasized the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and China. He further noted that such interactions would contribute to strengthening bilateral cooperation and to the modernization and expansion of Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector. Both parties exchanged views regarding the development of the tea, coffee, and tobacco industries, with particular focus on the application of modern technological innovations. The need to utilize advanced technology to address challenges arising from the declining labor force and to improve the productivity of tea cultivation was also discussed. The Chinese delegation proposed the use of fourth-generation fertilizers as suitable for improving soil fertility and enhancing crop yields. Attention was also drawn to coffee cultivation, where it was noted that Sri Lanka’s coffee industry had demonstrated notable progress over the past decade. The need to expand the allocation of land for coffee cultivation was discussed as well. Officials indicated that currently over 5,000 hectares are under coffee cultivation and that plans are underway to expand it to 10,000 hectares within the next two years. Furthermore, discussions were held regarding Sri Lanka’s tobacco industry, where it was pointed out that exporting value-added finished products to the market instead of raw materials would enable Sri Lanka to gain better access to international markets. It was also highlighted that the tobacco industry in Sri Lanka still operates on a small-scale basis, and the Chinese delegation stressed the importance of developing it into a large-scale, factory-centered industry. Hon. Members of Parliament of the Ministerial Consultative Committee and other Hon. Members, Chinese representatives, and officials from Parliament and the Ministry participated in this meeting.
2025-10-27
World Bank representatives have emphasized the importance of maintaining an updated and accurate data system when selecting eligible beneficiaries for the Aswesuma Social Security Programme. They further stated their readiness to provide the necessary technical support and international expertise for this purpose. These observations were made during a joint meeting held recently (Oct. 22) at Parliament, attended by Members of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Members of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations; other Honourable Members of Parliament; representatives of the World Bank; and officials of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies. The meeting was held with the participation of the Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage, Minister of Rural Development, Social Empowerment and Welfare; and the Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law, Chairperson of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Economic Development and International Relations. The World Bank delegation included Ms. Francesca Lamanna, Senior Economist for the Social Security Project, and Mr. Srinivas Varadan, Senior Social Security Specialist, along with several others. During the discussions, the World Bank representatives stated that establishing a comprehensive data system for social Security would enable the accurate identification of genuinely poor and vulnerable individuals and families. They noted that the mere inclusion of citizens’ information in the database would not automatically qualify them as Aswesuma beneficiaries. Instead, the data must be verified and analyzed to correctly identify those eligible for relevant benefits. They further emphasized that such a Social Security data system constitutes a productive investment for the country and, therefore, highlighted the need for continuous updating of the data system. Members of Parliament who took part in the discussion also expressed their views regarding issues encountered in distributing Aswesuma benefits. They suggested that the beneficiaries of Aswesuma be selected through local committees and that the list of selected beneficiaries be publicly displayed within the respective village to ensure transparency in the process. Officials involved in implementing the Aswesuma programme stated that certain challenges had arisen due to inadequate information provided to the implementing officers, Divisional Secretaries, and Grama Niladhari officers. However, they noted that measures are currently being taken to properly inform these officers of their respective roles and to obtain their cooperation in ensuring the successful implementation of the programme. This occasion was also attended by the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, Hon. Ministers, Hon. Deputy Ministers, Hon. Members of Parliament, Ms. Shalika Subasinghe – Advisor to the World Bank, and officials of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies.
2025-10-24
The Committee on Public Finance has granted its approval for the Appropriation Bill for the year 2026. This approval was given during a committee meeting held in Parliament yesterday (Oct. 23) under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva. Officials from the Ministry of Finance, who attended the meeting, briefed the Committee on the allocation of funds for various sectors and the targets set for the year 2026. After an extensive discussion on these matters, the Committee granted its approval for the Bill. The Appropriation Bill for the year 2026 is scheduled to be presented to Parliament for the second reading (Budget Speech) by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance on 7th of November.
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