Decisions of the Cabinet of Ministers taken at the meeting held on 22.08.2022
1. Information and Cyber Protection Policy for the government institutions.
Although there is a trend in the state institutions to operate on digital systems, the
information and information technology systems of those institutions have been exposed
to extreme risk due to not paying sufficient attention to information and cyber protection,
utilization of age – old technology as well as the shortage of skilled staff required for the
cyber security management in the state sector. In order to control this situation, Sri Lanka
Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) has drafted the information and cyber
protection policy for the state institutions in concurrence with the
National Information and Cyber Security Strategy of Sri Lanka 2019-2023 and adhering
to the recognized international information protection standards. It is compulsory to
implement this policy by all the state institutions defined as the “Competent Authority” in
the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has
granted approval to the resolution submitted by the Hon.President as the Minister of
Technology to implement the proposed information and cyber protection policy in
relation to the government institutions.
2. Preparation of the annual budget for the year 2023.
State finance imbalance resulting from the decline of government revenue in the long run
and the escalation of government expenditure has now developed into an extreme
economic crisis. Amidst the economic challenges in relation to the above, preparation of
the budget for the year 2023 within the median budget framework of 2023 – 2025 should
be performed with prudent and strategic means while measures should be taken to
prevent more intensity and lay the foundation to future sustainability. Accordingly, based
on the state financial targets expected to accomplish within the median budget framework
of 2023 – 2025, it is expected to accomplish the target of escalating the present 9% state
revenue which is a percentage of the gross domestic product up to 11.3%, to reduce the
18.9% state expenditure back to 18.1%, to decline the primary budget balance of minus
4% down to minus 1% as well as to deduct the minus budget difference of minus 9.9%
down to minus 6.8% from the budget of 2023. Furthermore, it has been planned to
prepare the budget estimations for 2023 based on zero – based budgeting. Accordingly,
the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal furnished by the Hon. President
as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies in relation to
the preparation of budget estimations for the year 2023.
3. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the cooperation in the agricultural
sector.
A proposal has been made to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry
of Agriculture, Fisheries Resources and Water Resources of the Sultanate of Oman and
the Ministry of Agriculture of this country in relation to the agriculture sector
cooperation. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister
of Agriculture to sign the aforementioned memorandum of understanding.
4. Amendment of Carriage by Air Act No. 29 of 2018
The gazette notification published on 22.01.2021 has indicated the responsibility
limitations of international civil aviation responsibilities as per the Montreal Protocol, yet
it has been observed that such escalated responsibilities would be an obstacle to the
improvement of the aviation industry in Sri Lanka. Therefore, a committee has been
appointed to review the responsibility limitations of the Carriage by Air Act No. 29 of
2018 to consider releasing the local aviation industry from those responsibilities. The
committee has recommended that it is appropriate to introduce amendments to sections 2,
5, and 8 of the Carriage by Air Act No. 29 of 2018. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers
approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation to take
necessary measures to amend the relevant sections of the said act.
5. Amendment of the responsibilities entrusted with the State Timber Corporation to
cater to the contemporary requirements.
The State Timber Corporation has been established subject to a gazette notification dated
04.04.1968 under the provisions of the State Industrial Corporations Act No. 49 of 1957.
The requirement to amend the responsibilities of the above Corporation has been
identified to cater to contemporary requirements. According, the Cabinet of Ministers has
granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Wild Life and Forest
Conservation to amend the subject area of the State Timber Corporation to cater to
contemporary requirements.
6. Submission of the draft bill of the Rehabilitation Bureau to the Parliament.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at the meeting of the Cabinet of
Ministers held on 19.04.2021 to establish a rehabilitation bureau in order to perform
treatment, rehabilitation, post – protection, and related activities in relation to drug
addicts, warriors of war, violent extremist groups. Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney
General has been granted for the draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman. Therefore,
the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval submitted by the Minister of Justice, Prison
Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the
government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for approval.
7. Setting up a student loan facility on subsidized interest basis for students
undergoing training in National Colleges of Education.
National Colleges of Education offer teacher training with 2 years of institutional training
and one year of internship for those who passed G.C.E.( A /L) examination. A teacher
trainee is paid Rs 5000 during the training period in the National College of Education
which is not enough. Colleges of education do not provide accommodation for this one-
year internship period and the trainees have to bear all expenses such as accommodation
and travelling. Accordingly the cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by
the Minister of Education to provide a financial provision of a maximum Rs. 10,000 per
month to a trainee, in addition to the allowance currently being paid, through a state bank
on subsidized interest basis.
8. Supply of School Uniform Materials for the year 2023
Uniform material for 2023 must be provided to students before the end of the 2022
academic year. According to a request made by the Government of Sri Lanka to the
People's Republic of China, it has agreed to provide a part of the uniform requirements
for the year 2023 as a grant. Accordingly, cabinet of ministers approved the proposal
presented by minister of education to purchase the requirement of school uniform
materials in addition to the grant to be provided by the Chinese government, from local
textile manufacturers and thus to meet the requirement of school uniform materials for
the year 2023.
9. Awarding the contract directly to the State Development and Construction
Corporation for essential civil works and signaling related works of the
Department of Sri Lanka Railway.
Many problems have arisen for the proper execution of the railway services due to lack of
manpower required for civil construction works and signaling system related works of the
Railway Department. As a solution to these problems, cabinet of ministers approved the
proposal presented by the Minister of Transport and Highways to offer contracts not
exceeding 25 million rupees to the State Development and Construction Corporation,
which currently has a workforce of more than 600 members with good experience in such
constructions, following the direct procurement method.
10. Implementation of a solar power project on the land where the Sri Lanka
Broadcasting Corporation's Trincomalee transmission station is located.
Cabinet approval has been granted on 18.01.2022 to use the land on which the Sri Lanka
Broadcasting Corporation Short Wave Transmission Center located in Kuchchaveli
Divisional Secretariat for a solar power project. Project proposals have been invited
accordingly to select a proper investor for this purpose. Seven proposals received and the
technical evaluation committee has recommended 3W Power Management Ltd. as the
most suitable investor to execute the project. Accordingly the cabinet of ministers
approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Mass Media to implement this project
with investor recommended by the Technical Evaluation Committee.
11. Procurement of Urea for 2022/23 Maha Season
The procurement process of urea fertilizer for the 2022/23 season has been implemented
in accordance with cabinet decision dated 07.06.2022. Under this procurement, 150,000
Metric Tons of urea are planned to be procured. However, the bidder recommended by
the Standing Procurement Committee has bid to supply only 12,500 Metric Tons of urea.
Accordingly, the cabinet of ministers approved the proposal made by the Minister of
Agriculture to award the contract for the purchase of that stock of urea and to call for bids
again following the electronic procurement method for the immediate purchase of
another 125000 tons of urea fertilizer.
12. Signing of MoU on Cooperation in Tourism Sector
It has been proposed to sign a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of
Tourism and Lands of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism of the
Sultanate of Oman regarding cooperation in the field of tourism. Attorney General’s
clearance has been received for the bill prepared for this purpose. Cabinet of Ministers
approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Tourism and Lands to sign the afore
said Mou Accordingly.
