2022-11-10
News Categories : Committee News
Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena stated that a program has been initiated to rectify the recent delay in payment of retirement gratuity. The Prime Minister said that a Cabinet paper was also presented in this regard and arrangements will be made to make these payments in accordance to that in two parts after obtaining the approval of the Treasury.
This was disclosed at the Ministerial Consultative Committee meeting held in Parliament recently (Nov. 08) under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, when the parliamentarians inquired about the delay in retirement gratuities.
The Director General of Pensions said that as a result of the delay in the release of money by the Treasury due to the economic crisis in the country, a large number of people are on the waiting list expecting the retirement gratuity. He said that all payments up to January 2022 have been made. He further said that the Treasury has agreed to release the money required for payments from January 2022 up to the remaining period and accordingly, said that the money is expected to be given.
The Director General of Pensions also said that also, due to the reduction of the retirement age to 60 years, it is expected that new applications will be received after December 31st this year. He said that a special program has been prepared to provide the basic pension to all of them promptly.
Attention was also directed to solve the problems of employees who have worked for a long time in local government institutions. Accordingly, steps will be taken to appoint a special committee to recommend further measures, State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government, Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura said.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena gave instructions to the authorities of the ministry that the annual reports of the public institutions, which are currently delayed, should be submitted to the Parliament as soon as possible. It was also decided at the meeting to have the other government institutions informed about this for the purpose of getting them to submit the delayed reports on their part to the parliament.
The Prime Minister's plan to convert a number of Urban Councils into Municipal Councils was also discussed at the meeting held. Parliamentarian Hon. Charles Nirmalanathan complementing the Prime Minister for conduct the same program in the Northern Province in his capacity as the Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government requested to not abolish the making Mannar Paradeshiya Sabha when establishing the Municipal Council.
Member of Parliament Hon. Mano Ganesan made a request to take necessary steps to increase the divisional secretariats in Nuwara Eliya district. The ministry officials agreed to discuss this matter and report the matter to the committee.
State Minister of Home Affairs Hon. Ashoka Priyantha, State Ministers Hon. Shantha Bandara, Hon. Indika Anuruddha, Hon. Anupa Pasqual and Committee Members Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala, Hon. Jayantha Ketagoda, Hon. Sudath Manjula, Members of Parliament Hon. Mano Ganesan, Hon. Chandima Weerakkody, Hon. Yadamini Gunawardena, Hon. H. M. M. Harees, Hon. Rohana Bandara, Hon. Madhura Withanage, Hon. Charles Nirmalanathan, Hon. Gunathilaka Rajapaksha, officials representing the Ministry and affiliated institutions were also present at this committee meeting held.
2025-07-28
No shortage of very essential medical items – Ministry of Health officials The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Health, Media and Women's Empowerment inquired into the medicine shortage and related matters at the Committee meeting held recently (Jul. 23), under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament (Dr.) Nihal Abeysinghe. Officials from the Ministry of Health informed the Committee that the current shortage of medicines has arisen due to delays in placing orders in previous years. However, they assured the Committee that procurement process for the year 2026 has already taken commenced, and there will be no shortage in 2026. They further stated that by the end of this year, 80% to 90% of essential medicine items are expected to be available in the country. In response to an inquiry made by the Committee regarding the availability of very essential medical items, the Ministry officials confirmed that there is no shortage of such items at present. Furthermore, the Committee also considered and approved the Annual Reports for the years 2022 and 2023 of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka, the National Medicines Regulatory Authority, the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation, and the Wijaya Kumaratunga Memorial Hospital. While reviewing these reports, the Committee raised concerns over unresolved audit queries related to these institutions. The Committee Chair recommended that an internal review mechanism be established within the Ministry to ensure timely and appropriate responses to audit observations. Hon. Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer, Hon. Members of Parliament (Attorney-at-Law) Dayasiri Jayasekara, Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan, (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna, Samanmali Gunasingha, (Prof.) Sena Nanayakkara, (Dr.) S. Sri Bavanandarajah and Jagath Manuwarna were present at the Committee meeting. Officials representing the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, including Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Anil Jasinghe, also participated in the meeting.
2025-07-28
The proposed Education Reform Plan was taken into discussion at the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital. The discussions were held when the Committee met on the Jul. 25th at Parliament, under the chairmanship of Hon. Hesha Withanage, Member of Parliament. Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Training, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, representatives of the National Education Commission, the Director General of the National Institute of Education, along with several other senior officials of the Ministry of Education, participated in this meeting. The Ministry officials explained in detail to the Committee the steps taken to prepare the proposed Education Reform Plan and also presented the steps taken in the past in this regard. The Chair of the Committee stated that experts from relevant sectors who have been involved in reforming the education sector in the past are expected to be consulted to examine the proposed Education Reform Plan more comprehensively. He further stated that the full support of the Committee will be extended to ensure the proper implementation of the Education Reform Plan. Committee Members also emphasized the need for properly structuring the syllabus when implementing reforms in the education sector and pointed out the factors that should be considered in that regard. Meanwhile, the attention of the Sectoral Oversight Committee was also drawn to the Samurdhi (Amendment) Bill. The Committee inquired into the operations of the Samurdhi Bank, and the relevant approval was granted to present the said Bill to Parliament for the Second Reading. Hon. Members of Parliament Sunil Rajapaksha, Chanaka Madugoda, Thurairasa Ravikaran, Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney at Law, and Krishnan Kalaichelvi participated in this Committee meeting.
2025-07-28
A working Committee was appointed pertaining to the future activities of the Parliamentary Caucus on Arts and Cultural Affairs, established for the Tenth Parliament. The purpose of this working Committee is to implement the programmes expected to be carried out by the Caucus for the advancement of the arts and cultural sectors of the country and to obtain ideas and proposals from experts and scholars in the respective fields for that purpose. Hon. Members of Parliament Prof. Sena Nanayakkara, Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, Hiruni Wijesinghe, Attorney-at-Law, Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law, Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law, Ruwan Mapalagama, and Dinesh Hemantha were appointed as members of this Committee. These appointments were made during the meeting of the Parliamentary Caucus on Arts and Cultural Affairs, held recently (Jul. 22) in Parliament, under the chairmanship of Hon. Member of Parliament Jagath Manuwarna, Chair of the Caucus. At this meeting, lengthy discussions were held regarding the steps that could be taken to uplift the cultural, literary, and arts sectors of the country, to promote the development of artists and professionals engaged in those fields, and on the necessity of fostering an interest among the general public and children in art appreciation. It was also proposed by the Member MPs that programmes should be initiated to create awareness among Members of Parliament and the parliamentary staff regarding the Parliamentary Caucus on Arts and Cultural Affairs. Hon. Members of Parliament Prof. Sena Nanayakkara, Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, Hiruni Wijesinghe, Attorney-at-Law, Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law, Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Susantha Dodawatta, Attorney-at-Law, Ruwan Mapalagama, and Dinesh Hemantha were present at this Committee meeting held.
2025-07-28
The recommendations of the Committee on High Posts, which met on the July 24th at Parliament approved the appointments of 5 new Ambassadors, a High Commissioner, and a Secretary to the Ministry. Accordingly, Miss. Sumadhurika Sashikala Premawardhane as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Indonesia, Mrs. C.A. Chaminda Inoka Colonne as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Federative Republic of Brazil, Mr. Mohamed Rizvi Hassen as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Maldives, Mr. L.R.M.N.P.G.B. Kadurugamuwa as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Turkey, Mrs. Ruwanthi Delpitiya as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Nepal, and Mr. Marimuththu K. Pathmanaathan as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of South Korea have been recomended by the Committee on High Posts. Furthermore, the name of Miss. Ayesha Jinasena (PC) has also been recommended by the Committee on High Posts for the appointment as the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration. The Committee on High Posts, chaired by Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister, comprised of the following Members of Parliament: Hon. Kumara Jayakody, Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha, Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney at Law, Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage, Hon. (Mrs.) Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Hon. (Dr.) Hansaka Wijemuni, Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, and Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC.
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