01. Implementation of traditional and rural industries promotion projects.
Allocation of rupees 1000 million from budget proposals 2022 and rupees 150 million from budget estimations have been made to the State Ministry of Rattan, Brass, Pottery, Furniture and Rural Industrial Promotion for the improvement of traditional domestic industries such as rattan, clay, brass, lacquer, masks, coconut shells, gold, stone carvings, jute and Dumbara matting patterns etc.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Industries to implement the following projects which are already being implemented under the State Ministry of Rattan, Brass, Pottery, Furniture and Rural Industrial Promotion which was inaugurated in this year 2021
* Programme to cultivate raw materials required for rural industries
* Project to establish the National Raw Materials Bank.
* Project to 'present one entrepreneur to one village'
* Project to establish the fashion and process modification centre related to timber products.
* Local and overseas market promotion programme for rural industries
* Rural and traditional industry villages consolidated development programme.
* National lacquer industries development programme.
02. Pilot project on green production of Hydragen.
The government has taken a policy decision to goal of decarbonaization by the year 2050. In order to realize this goal, the requirement of gradually converting from fossil fuel to green energy production and consumption by changing energy supply network has been recognized. Accordingly, steps should be taken to minimize gas emmissions in the industries where electricity and transport sectors as well as thermal power utilization is occurred. Under such circumstances the Greenstat Hydrogen India (Pvt.) Ltd. which is an affiliated body of Greenstat AS of Norway has agreed to conduct a feacibility study on a pilot project for generating green hydrogen utilizing a floating solar and wind combination. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the proposal submitted by the Minister of Energy to enter into an agreement between Sri Lanka Petroleum Development Authority and Greenstat Hydrogen India (Pvt.) Ltd. in order to conduct the said feacibitity study.
03. Present situation of the oceanic disaster related to M V Express Pearl tanker.
Clearance of debries and devastated parts of ill - fated M V Express Pearl tanker that confronted with an oceanic disaster has been inaugurated by now and the same is scheduled to be completed within 120 days. Following further clarifications in regard to the matter tabled by the Minister of Justice was considered by the Cabinet of Ministers.
* A supervisory committee comprised of representatives of relevant institutions has been appointed under the Director General of Commercial Naval Secretarial in
order to supervise the process to make sure that no oceanic pollution is occurred due to the process of removing debries.
* First instalment of compensation has been paid to all the fishermen affected by the devastation
* The ban imposed on fishing applicable to kaluthara district has totally been lifted.
* The restrictions / ban applicable to both Colombo and Gampaha disticts will also be lifted once the process of clearing debries is completed.
* United States dollars 3.7 million has been credited to the Government of Sri Lanka as a share of rights claimed by the Fisheries and Oceanic Environment Protection Authority and discussions are being held with P and I Company for recovering the remaining rights.
* Overseas laboratories have been directed to analyze the biological samples of oceanic life and other samples.
* Spark Helmore company limited of Australia is supplying legal instructions in regard to the claims on environmental devastation.
04. Mobile camp and reconciliation programme organized by the Ministry of Justice.
Ministry of Justice has scheduled to conduct 04 mobile camps and reconciliation programmes centering Jaffna and Killinochchi in the nothern province, Batticaloa in the esstern province, Matara in the southern province and Nuwara Eliya in the central province. It is expected to render necessary assistance in solving the issues pertaining to land, official documentation, legal activities etc. as well as make aware the public and field officers regarding the services rendered by the Ministry of Justice and the institutions operated under it. the initial programme of it has already been conducted in the districts of Jaffna and Killinochchi in the nothern province from 26th to 30th January 2022. The Cabinet of Ministers were made aware of the above particulars furnished by the Minister of Justice on the said mobile programme.
05. Delkanda luxury apartments comprised of 70 housing units.
Plans have been drawn to launch a luxury apartment complex comprised of 70 housing units within a plot of land in extent of 100 perchas and belong to Ocean View Development company under the State Ministry of Rural Houses and Construction and Construction Materials Industrial Promotion situated in Delkand. This project will be implemented under the pre - sale methodology joined with investors so that no burden will be imposed on the government. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Hon. Prime Minister as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing for the implementation of the said project.
06. Newly affixing two Electricity Generator Stators in Samanala Wewa Hydro Power Station.
Samanala Wewa Hydro Power Station is commercially in operation since 1992 with its established capacity of 120 mega watts and electricity gneration of 276 hours of giga watts per annum. This power station performs considerably in supplying electricity demand during the hours of extreme electricity demand as well as maintaining the system voltage in the southern province. This power station is operated with two electricity generators and their lifetime is between 25 - 35 years. Therefore, the life span of the two generators has reached an end and they need to be repaired immediately. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers have granted approval for the proposal submitted by the Minister of Electricity to implement the precise procurement process for the procurement of generator stators by GEC Large Machines Ltd. of the United Kingdom which is the original equipment manufacturer.
7. Awarding Contracts under Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program
The Mahaweli Water Security Investment Program is planned to be implemented in 21 contract packages to make it more efficient and expeditious. Out of these 21 packages, 6 packages have already been completed and construction of 06 more packages is in progress. Accordingly, the cabinet of ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Irrigation to award contracts for the remaining 9 packages to the contractors selected following the international competitive system.
8. Supply of Crude Oil for Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery
Necessary steps have been taken to obtain crude oil for the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery by July 2022. Arrangements have to be made to procure crude oil required for the next period. An uninvited proposal has been made by the Terra Nevis Group in Cyprus to supply the crude oil required for the refinery. The proposal made to supply crude oil under the 180 day loan scheme has been evaluated by the cabinet appointed Special Standing Procurement Committee and it is recommended to supply a 450,000 barrel shipment basically. Accordingly cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal made by the Minister of Energy to procure crude oil in accordance with that recommendation.
9. Submission of the surcharge tax bill to the parliament for approval
The Budget 2022 proposes to impose a one-off 25% surcharge tax on individuals or companies earning taxable income more than Rs. 2000 million for the assessment year 2020/2021. The Attorney General's clearance has been received for the Surcharge Tax Bill prepared accordingly by the legal draftsman. Cabinet of ministers approved the proposal presented by Hon. Minister of Finance to publish the Bill in the Government Gazette and thereafter submit it to Parliament.
10. Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedures Act No. 15 of 1979
Cabinet approval has been given on 31st May 2021 to amend Sections 442 and 443 in the Code of Criminal Procedures Act No. 15 of 1979 to make provisions to issue a certified copy of the judgment or final order filed in the case record free of charge to the plaintiff and each defendant free of charge. The Attorney General's clearance has been received for the Bill prepared accordingly by the legal draftsman. Accordingly, the cabinet of ministers approved the proposal presented by Hon. Minister of Justice to publish the Bill in the Government Gazette and thereafter submit it to Parliament.
11. Purchasing of 40,000 Metric Tons of diesel shipment from the Indian Oil Company
The Ministry of Energy has discussed with the Indian Oil Company to procure 40,000 metric tons of diesel and 40,000 metric tons of petrol. Accordingly, the Indian Oil Company has agreed to supply a shipment of 40,000 metric tons of diesel. As per the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal tabled by the Minister of Energy to take further measurers to buy the said Oil Consignment.
12. The “Gama Samanga Pilisandarak (A discussion with the village) - One Lakh worth Work
from the Budget" Rural Development Programme.
According to a proposal made in the 2022 Budget, it is planned to implement the “Gama Samanga Pilisandarak (A discussion with the village) - One Lakh Work from the Budget" Rural Development Programme with a view to strengthen the production economy Divisions covering all the 14021 Grama Niladhari Divisions of the 336 Divisional Secretariat Divisions island wide. Under this program, the project identification process is completely decentralized enabling public
to identify their needs by themselves. Accordingly, the Cabinet took note of the submissions made by the Minister of Finance stating that the necessary arrangements have been made to commence the said planned program on 03 of February, 2022.
