1. Re – instituting the Cabinet Sub Committee on Cost of Living and establishment of the food
security committee.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by His Excellency the President to re –
instituting the cabinet sub – committee on cost of living in order to recommend policy and practical
resolutions to the Cabinet of Ministers to maintain the cost of living at a stable position. Accordingly,
the composition of the cabinet sub – committee on cost of living will be as follows.
His Excellency the President - (Chairman)
Hon. Prime Minister
Hon. Minister of Fisheries
Hon. Minister of Transport and Highways
Hon. Minister of Agriculture
Hon. Minister of Plantation Industries
Hon. Minister of Electricity and Power
Hon. Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security
Furthermore, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted to appoint the Food Security
Committee with the Hon. Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security as the chair and the
participation of the Secretaries of the relevant Ministries.
2. Optional measures to avoid the current shortage of Ammonium Nitrate explosives used in
various industries within the countries.
The authority to import / store and distribution of Ammonium Nitrate explosives required for cement /
water gel / emulsion production industries and granite explosions entrusted with the Sri Lanka State
Trading (General) Corporation (STC). At present a shortage of Ammonium Nitrate explosives exists
within the country due to the scarcity of foreign exchange and the failure to supply those raw materials
by the supplier who supplied them on long term basis to the Sri Lanka State Trading (General)
Corporation (STC). A considerable impact on the industries utilizing those chemicals has occurred due
to this. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution submitted by His
Excellency the President as the Minister of Defence for taking necessary actions to import Ammonium
Nitrate explosives to the country immediately with the mediation of the Ministry of Defence as a short
– term remedy for this issue.
3. Signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) for enhancing the defence cooperation between the Ministry of
Defence of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Defence of the
Republic of Indonesia
It has been proposed to establish an inter – institutional cooperation methodology for enhancing the
defence cooperation between the Ministry of Defence of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia. In order to initiate negotiations for
the purpose the government of Indonesia has proposed to sign a letter of intent (LOI) between the two
countries while the clearance for the draft letter of intent has been given by the Attorney General.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution submitted by His Excellency the
President as the Minister of Defence for signing the letter of intent (LOI) mentioned above.
4. Extradition treaty between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the State of
United Arab Emirates.
An extradition treaty has been signed between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the
State of United Arab Emirates in 2014 in order to strengthen the judicial corporation in the extradition
sector. The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution submitted by His Excellency the
President as the Minister of Defence for the ratification of the extradition treaty by revising provisions
mentioned in section 5 (1) of the same to cater the legal systems of both countries, and to submit the
treaty to the Parliament subject to the provisions of the Extradition law No 8 of 1978 thereafter
5. Japanese grants programme for Human Resources Development Scholarships
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) programme for human resource development
scholarships has been introduced in 2010 by the Government of Japan in order to grant human
resource development scholarships for providing opportunities to study post graduate degree courses
for officers in the executive grade of the state sector. Under the programme, 195 scholarship
opportunities for studying post graduate courses and 10 Doctor of Philosophy courses were granted so
far. It has been agreed to grant Japanese Yen 282 million (approximately rupees 761 million) for the
year 2022 under that programme. The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal furnished
by the Hon. Prime Minister as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stability and National Policies to
sign the exchange letters in the regard.
6. Establishment of a divisional office under the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stability and
National Policies to assist the Director of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
The board of directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is comprised of non – residential
directors while they represent 12 divisions consist of one or more states / countries. Sri Lanka who is a
opening member represent the 11th division of the bank. While Indonesia being the main shareholder
in that division, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and Eastern Timor are the other member
countries. According to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between those states in
2016, the Directorate and optional Directorate relevant to that division is circulated among the states.
Accordingly, the opportunity for holding the office of the directorate and chairing the division within
2022-2024 period is bestowed to Sri Lanka and a Deputy Secretary to the General Treasury has been
nominated to the office. It is important that Sri Lanka received the office at this this hour and required
facilities have to be supplied for the director board level functions, since the board of directors of that
bank functions a non – residential board of directors. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved
the proposal furnished by the Hon. Prime Minister as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stability and
National Policies to establish a divisional office of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank under the
Ministry of Finance, Economic Stability and National Policies to.
7. Establishment of a flight training institute at the airport of Batticaloa
Although Sri Lanka Air Force and the Road Development Authority has developed the Batticaloa
airport as a local air tours destination in the year 2018, the airport does not generate any revenue at
present since it is toll free of landing and parking charges. It has been observed that the airport space is
suitable to be utilized for other productive purposes considering the above fact. Accordingly,
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of
Ports, Naval and Civil Aviation for invitation of competitive resolutions to establish a flight training
academy in the airport of Batticaloa.
8. The International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their Families – Sri Lanka Civil
Aviation Authority
The governing board of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has decided to nominate the
20 th February of each year as the International Day Commemorating Air Crash Victims and their
Families at their 5 th meeting held at the session 224. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted
approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Ports, Naval and Civil Aviation for declaring 20 th
February each year as the international day commemorating air crash victims and their families
adhering to the above decision.
9. Agricultural Crop Programmes implemented by the Department of Prisons and the
Rehabilitation Commissioner General’s Bureau.
The Department of Prisons has planned to implement an agricultural crop programme called
‘Sarusaara – Sipirigein Govibimata’ (Prosperous – from prison cell to agricultural field) with the
intention of contributing the labour of the prison inmates to the agricultural development of the
country by considering their labour as a human resource to the country instead of stationing them
within the prison cells. The objective of this programme is to cultivate agricultural crops that generate
maximum productivity within the outdoor prisons under the guidance of the Department of
Agriculture and fulfill the food requirement of the prison inmates from the production harvested from
them.
Apart from that, agricultural development programmes have already been inaugurated under 03
rehabilitation centres maintained by the Rehabilitation Commissioner General’s Bureau for
rehabilitating of drug addicts and it has been planned to obtain 1000 acres of non – irrigated lands
belong to the Mahaveli Authority and National Livestock Development Board in the areas of
Kandakadu and Nawasenapura in eastern province for extending those activities further to cultivate
maize in 500 acres from that while grains, vegetable, and fruits native to the region in the other
remaining land extent with the labour of the rehabilitation. The Cabinet of Ministers considered the
information tabled by the Minister of Justice, Prisons and Constitutional Reforms regarding the above
programmes.
10. Streamlining the Casino Industry in Sri Lanka
Provisions have been imposed by Casino Business (Regulation) Act No. 17 of 2010 and the Betting
and Gaming Levy Act No. 40 of 1988 for regularizing the Casino industry in Sri Lanka. Licenses
should be given to maintain Casino businesses within Sri Lanka by Act No. 17 of 2010 but no
provisions to empower the act have been issued up to now that no Casino industry has been issued
licenses under the said act up to now. Under such circumstances, it has been difficult to recover
relevant levy from either of the entities engaged in Casino industry. Therefore, the Cabinet of
Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Hon. Prime Minister as the Minister of
Finance, Economic Stability and National Policies to issue orders under the Casino Business
(Regulation) Act No. 17 of 2010 with the intention of regularizing such industries and recovering
levies due for the government, and to take measures to introduce appropriate amendments to the
Betting and Gamin Levy Act No. 40 of 1988
11. Amendment to the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No 2 of 1996
It has been identified that the Aquatic Resources Act No 2 of 1996 currently in force should be
amended to enforce agreements to which Sri Lanka is bound regionally and internationally and to
introduce provisions for the sustainable management and conservation of fisheries and aquatic
resources. Accordingly the cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of
Fisheries to advice the legal draftsman to prepare a bill for the amendment of the Aquatic Resources
Act No 2 of 1996 to suit the present requirement.
12. Amendment to the Civil Procedure Code (Chapter 101) (Repeal of chapter LXVI)
Cabinet Approval has been granted on 27.09.2021 to draft a separate bill to introduce a special
procedure for Small Claims Courts and to repeal the Chapter LXVI of Civil Procedure Code
containing procedural provisions relating to Small Claims Courts taking into account the amendments
made to the Judicator Act No.2 of 1978. Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal
presented by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the said bill
in the Government Gazette and thereafter present the same in Parliament for approval.
13. Small Claims Courts Procedure Act
Cabinet approval was granted on 14.06.2021 to introduce a separated special procedure foe Small
Claims Court. Attorney General’s clearance has been given for the bill prepared by the legal draftsman
for this purpose. Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the
Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the said bill in the
Government Gazette and thereafter present the same in Parliament for approval.
14. Judicature (Amendment) Bill
Cabinet approval was granted on 14.06.2021 to amend the Judicature Act No.02 of 1978 to establish
Small Claims Courts with separate laws and introducing special procedure of Small Claims Courts.
Attorney General’s clearance has been given for the bill prepared by the legal draftsman for this
purpose. Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of
Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the said bill in the Government Gazette
and thereafter present the same in Parliament for approval
15. Revision of High Court of the Provinces (Special Provisions) Act No.19 of 1990
Cabinet Approval was granted on 27.09.2021 to amend Section 5 (A) of the High Court of the
Provinces (Special Provisions) Act No.19 of 1990 to include the words “Small Claims Court”.
Attorney General’s clearance has been given for the bill prepared by the legal draftsman for this
purpose. Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of
Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the said bill in the Government Gazette
and thereafter present the same in Parliament for approval,
16. Presentation of the Appropriation Bill (Amendment) for the year 2022 in Parliament
Normal livelihoods have been affected due to exchange rate depreciation, rising inflation and
shortage of essential commodities like fuel, gas and electricity. Also, it has affected the sectors like
agriculture, transportation, industries and exports and has made people's life in a very uncomfortable
situation. Based on this situation, the Cabinet l of Ministers, at the meeting held on June 6, 2022 has
approved to present a new budget for the year 2022. taking into account all the relevant facts the
Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by Hon. Prime Minister in his capacity as the
Minister of Finance, Economic Stability and National policies to revise the budget estimates adopted
by Appropriation Act No. 30 of 2021 for the year 2022 and to submit the bill prepared by the legal
draftsman and cleared by the Attorney General, after publication in the Government Gazette, to the
parliament for approval.
17. Write-off of unpaid loans taken by paddy farmers
The economic crisis in the country caused by the Easter Sunday attack and the subsequent Covid 19
epidemic situation is further intensifying. In general, it is directly and indirectly affecting every field.
The situation is difficult for the farmers who are about 30% of the total population. Farmers have to
face further difficulties due to the decision to resort to organic fertilizers instead of chemical
fertilizers. Due to this situation, the farmers have defaulted in repayment of loans taken for paddy
cultivation. Banks have classified those loans as non-performing loans. Due to this reason, many
farmers may be ineligible for the loans required for paddy cultivation in the upcoming season.
Therefore, it is essential to provide relief to them through the intervention of the government.
Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by Hon. Prime Minister in his
capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stability and National policies to waive off the
principal loans taken from the government banks for the cultivation of paddy on land of two hectares
or less.
