Sri Lanka has joined this convention which has 05 annexes in 1997. The Annex VI has been added to this convention for establishment of international regulations in this regard. The impact on emissions from ships has been on Sri Lanka with the development of shipping and port related activities. It is necessary to reduce emission and to minimize its impact on health and environment. The proposal made by Hon.H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, toadopt the annex VI which has been added to MARPOL 73/78 and to instruct the Legal Draftsman to make legislations to enforce those regulations in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 2. IMPROVEMENT OF THE BATTICALOA AIRPORT (Document No - 09)
The Cabinet of Ministers have approved to build an airport terminal building, and to renovate the runway, taxiway and apron, in 2015 for development of the Batticaloa Airport for commencement of commercial passenger services, according to the government's policy of improving civil aviation facilities in Sri Lanka. 80% of its work has been completed and the proposal made by Hon. NimalSiripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to assign the rest of the work to Civil Aviation Authority, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ASIAN INSTITUTE FOR SCIENCE OF TECHNOLOGY (Document No - 13)
A number of students annually access overseas education as the admission to state universities could only be gained by 22% of students that have sat for the G.C.E. AL examination. Many of them do not return to this country. Therefore it is intended to establish a higher educational institute called Asia Institute for Science of Technology (AIST) with the public – private partnership that can earn foreign exchange through providing education opportunities to local as well as foreign students. This project will be funded by Japan one of our prominent development partners. It is expected to establish a technological village near the AIST at 2025 Japanese industrial partners will be invited to establish their production, research and development centres therein. A special course that directs students towards the job market in the industrial field, including the subjects of NANO technology, electric and electronic science, Information and Communication Technology, Telecommunication, Robot Science, will be awarded. The proposal made by Hon. SusilPremajayantha, Minister of Science, Technology and Research, to establish the AIST in the proposed Science and Technology City in Malabe under the Western Province Megapolis Project in land in extent of 100 acres and to obtain necessarycooperation from Japan and other donor funding agencies, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 4. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORT MANAGEMENT PLAN IN THE WESTERN REGION MEGAPOLIS (Document No - 17)
It has become an essential matter to take measures to minimize the issues prevailed in the transport field, especially for minimizing the traffic congestion in the western region. Short term as well as Midterm and Long term measures should be taken in this regard. Accordingly, the transport plan to be implemented under the Western Region Megapolis plan proposes to take many actions including introducing flexible and staggering working hours, parking management, updating traffic light signal systems, improvement of school and office transport services, restructuring public bus service, modernizing and improving the quality and services of buses, multimodal transport hubs, railway electrification and modernization, inland water transport, and road improvements.The joint proposal made by Hon. NimalSiripala de Silva, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, and Hon. PataliChampikaRanawaka, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development, to implement above activities with cooperation of relevant ministries and institutions, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 5. INTRODUCTION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF MULTIDAY FISHING VESSELS (Document No - 19)
The government of Sri Lanka has since 1950s followed continuous programmes of extending assistance to the marine fishing industry. Rs. 1,600 million has been allocated for introduction of small and medium scale technology to the fisheries industry in 2016 and much of the allocations will be spent on modernization of multiday vessels to suit the new technology. Regulations have been imposed by making compulsory to fix a transponder in such vessels and it is essential in issuing fitness certificates. The proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, to provide 2400 transponders to assure the fruitful implementation of these regulations and other materials required in improving efficiency and productivity of fisheries industry under the government's subsidy programme, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 6. COLLECTION OF DATA ON HOUSING REQUIREMENTS (Document No - 23)
The Ministry of Housing and Construction has taken steps to prepare a long-term plan to fulfil the housing requirement of the country with instructions of the President and the Prime Minister. It is therefore necessary to obtain the updated data on housing requirement. As it has been almost 05 years after the census on housing and population in 2012, an accelerated survey has to be done in regional and district levels. Accordingly,the proposal made by Hon. SajithPremadasa, Minister of Housing and Construction, to obtain the assistance of public officers in district, divisional and rural levels including District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries, to collect accurate and updated data on housing requirement to plan the National Housing Programme in order to fulfil the whole housing requirement of the country by 2025, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 7. SETUP A 10 MW SOLAR POWER PLANT AT VAVUNIYA (Document No - 28)
It is necessary to develop renewable energy generation to cater the increasing electricity demand. Vydexa (Lanka) Power Corporation Pvt Ltd has proposed to establish a 10 Mw solar power plant in Vavuniya with an investment of US$ 14.5 million, and it would add 19 GWh annually to the national grid. The proposal made by Hon. Malik Samarawickrama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade, to transfer a land of 22 ha in KaththarsinhaKulam, NedunKulam, Vavuniya, to the Board of Investments according to provisions of State Lands Ordinance to be leased to the said companyon the above purpose, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 8. ANURADHAPURA SOUTH PHASE II INTEGRATED WATER SUPPLY PROJECT (Document No - 31)
Above project will benefit about 280,956 people in Nachchaduwa, Thalawa, Rambawa, Mihintale, Thirappane small town, some areas in the Anuradhapura Urban Council, and Nuwaragampalatha Central and Nuwaragampalatha East Divisional Secretary areas. The proposal made by Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, to award the above contract as recommended by the Cabinet Appointed Standing Procurement Committee, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
0 9. ORGANIZING INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS CONFERENCES IN SRI LANKA IN 2016 AND 2018 (Document No - 35)
South Asia and South East Asia has always been home to a multi-religious and a multi-ethnic population but radicalization and extremism is threatening the harmony of this region. Accordingly, the need to build and sustain a thriving dialogue between the different religions with a view towards establishing and strengthening of multi-cultural harmony and religious tolerance has increased. Therefore, the proposal made by Hon. Prime Minister RanilWickremesinghe, to hold "The International Conference on Theravada Buddhism" in 2018 under the supervision of the Ministries of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Foreign Affairs, and Buddha Sasana, and to hold "The International Conference on Islam and Democracy in South Asia and South East Asia" in Colombo on 17,18, and 19 of November 2016 under the supervision of the Ministries of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Post, Postal Services and Muslim Religious Affairs, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
1 10. HOLDING OF THE FORTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE ASIAN FOOD AND AGRICULTURE COOPERATION INITIATIVE IN SRI LANKA (Document No - 36)
The Asian Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative is an international organization established with the objective of contributing to the economic development of Asian countries in the region through promotion of sustainable agriculture and technological cooperation for agriculture and food, and it is comprised of 14 member states at present. This organization provides technical and financial assistance for agricultural projects in Sri Lanka, and 11 such projects are on progress. At present Sri Lanka chairs this organization and the proposal made by Hon. DumindaDissanayake, Minister of Agriculture, to hold its forth General Assembly from 17th to 21st May 2016 in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
1 11. AMENDMENT TO THE PENAL CODE TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY (Document No - 38)
The Penal Code proclaims that nothing is an offence which is done by a child under eight years of age. However, internationally, the minimum age of criminal responsibility varies from ages twelve to fourteen. Psychologists and other experts have opined that 8 years is far too young an age at which to incur criminal responsibility. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, Minister of Justice, to amend the PenalCode for changing the minimum age for criminal responsibility as 12 years and in case of a child between 12 and 14 to confer discretion on a Magistrate to determine whether such child has the required degree of maturity to form the requisite intent or to entertain requisite knowledge which serves as the mens rea of the impugned offence, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
1 12. REVISION OF CESS LEVIED ON EXPORT OF RUBBER (Document No - 40)
In order to encourage the domestic value addition of natural rubber produced in Sri Lanka a CESS of Rs. 15.00 is levied per a Kilogram of exported raw rubber. About 80% of rubber is consumed by domestic industrialists and about 20% is exported. With the reduction of rubber in the world market Sri Lankan price has also reduced simultaneously by falling planters including small rubber estate owners in difficult situations and it has been forecasted that the prices will remain till 2020. Therefore, to relief the rubber planters by increasing the rubber price through making a competition between domestic rubber goods producers and raw rubber exporters, the proposal made by Hon. NavinDissanayake, Minister of Plantation Industries, to reduce the CESS levied in raw rubber exportation from Rs. 15/- per a kilo to Rs. 4/- per kilo, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
1 13. RELIEFS FOR THE DISASTER SITUATION OCCURRED DUE TO BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS (Document No - 42)
Heavy rains, storms and landslides have affected 18 districts in the country. At 16-05-2016 it has been reported that 128,428 people of 31,062 families have been affected and several people have died and disappeared. Moreover, it has damaged 12 houses completely and 201 houses partially. National Disaster Relief Services Centre has setup 104 Welfare Centres and 77,265 persons of 16,968 families are kept in these centres. Provision of cooked food has already been commenced.
The National Insurance Trust Fund has granted Rs. 20 million under the National Insurance Programme for Natural Disasters which is being implemented from 01-04-2016 to the National Disaster Relief Service Centre and providing of money required for relief services as requested by District Secretaries in relevant districts is underway.
Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. AnuraPriyadarshanaYapa, Minister of Disaster Management, to increase the amount given to a person for cooked food per a day from Rs. 150/- to Rs. 225/- and to obtain additional allocations for providing reliefs on matters not covered by the insurance scheme, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
