Press Releases

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1. CREDIT FACILITIES UP TO RS 250,000 TO THOSE WHO WERE REINTEGRATED IN TO THE SOCIETY

• The proposal made by Mr Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms, the Cabinet decided to introduce a scheme through a State Bank to provide loans up to a maximum of Rs.250,000 for self employment purposes, to 10,375 persons from the North and East who have successfully completed the rehabilitation programme conducted by the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.
• 10,375 former LTTE cadres who were rehabilitated have now been reintegrated in to the society after having provided them the vocational training and 765 personnel are yet to be reintegrated.
• As an initial measure a sum of Rs 300 million will be released to the ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms for the purpose of providing loans to 2000 persons recommended by Divisional Secretaries. Credit facilities to persons of this category who wish to pursue vocational education will be provided through Bank of Ceylon at the rate 45 interest.

2.PROMOTION OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER PRODUCTION & APPLICATION –

• In keeping with the Budget Proposals for 2012, the National Fertilizer Secretariat of the Ministry of Agrarian Services and Wildlife has prepared a programme to establish 6000 village level organic fertilizer production units in Agrarian Services areas to produce and distribute organic fertilizer among farmers at comparatively low cost.
• The joint proposal made by Mr. S.M. Chandrasena, Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife and Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardhana, Minister of Agriculture, to proceed with the project, which would, among other matters, provide about 30,000 self-employment opportunities and also reduce the expenditure on chemical fertilizer, was approved by the Cabinet.
• The government expect to control the use of chemical fertilizer usageby 10 percent from this Maha season without creating any adverse impact on crop productivity.
• It was also observed that there are 221 registered organic fertilizer manufacturers and the annual production is around 57000 MT.

3.RS 13,402 M CREDIT FACILITY FROM JICA FOR HABARANA - VEYANGODA TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT –

• The proposal made by President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to enter into a loan agreement with JICA for the construction of the 220 KV Transmission Line from Habarana to Veyangoda.was approved by the Cabinet.
• The Government of Japan has agreed to provide a loan of Japanese Yen 9573 million (approximately Rs.l3,402 million) through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
• The objective of the project is to improve the stability and reliability of the transmission system and to cater to the growing demand of electricity in the country.

4. RS 40,557 M JICA ASSISTANCE FOR PHASE 2 OF BIA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

• The Japanese Government has agreed to provide a loan of Japanese Yen 28,969 million (approximately Rs 40,557 million) through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to improve and modernize the facilities of the Bandaranaike International Airport.
• The facilities at BIA are to be modernized to transform it as a main commercial and business hub by connecting the eastern and the western countries.
• With the dawn of peaceful environment tourism industry has grown rapidly while number of tourist visiting the country has increased
• The proposal made by President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning, to enter into a loan agreement with JICA, was approved by the Cabinet.

5. RS 28,500 MILLION TO PURCHASE PADDY IN THE MAHA SEASON 2011/2012

• On proposal made by President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning the Cabinet decided to make available Rs 28,500 million as pledge loan to Paddy Marketing Board, District Secretaries, Cooperative Societies and the private sector to purchase paddy from the farmers during 2011/2012 Maha season.
• The expected paddy harvest from Yala Season 2011 and Maha Season 2011/2012 is around 4.5 million MT. With the expected paddy harvest in Maha Season 2012, there will be a stock of 3.2 million MT of paddy with the Paddy Marketing Board.
• According to estimates, the annual consumption of rice in the country is around 3.54 million MT. and with the collection of paddy of the Maha and Yala Seasons 2012, there is to be a surplus of 1.01 million MT of paddy
• provision of Rs.1280 million from State Banks to the Paddy Marketing board for the purchase of paddy;
• provision of Rs.1 0 15 million, made up as follows, to the District Secretaries for the purchase of paddy -
• Pollonnaruwa Rs.250 million, Matale Rs.50 million, Kurunegala Rs.100 million, Moneragala Rs.30 million, Kilinochchi Rs.70 million, Mannar Rs.30 million, Hambantota Rs.10 million, Batticaloa Rs.25 million, Trincomalee Rs.50 million, Anuradhapura Rs.200 million, Ampara Rs.200 million;
• provision of Rs.15,000 million by the Bank of Ceylon, Rs.5000 million by the Peoples' Bank and Rs.1500 million by the Regional Development Bank, to provide loans to the private sector for the purchase of paddy;
• provision of Rs.2000 million by State Banks to Co-operative Societies for the purchase of paddy;
• to call for worldwide tenders to export the surplus of paddy; to utilize the stores complex constructed at Oyamaduwa under "Deyata Kirula", for the storage of paddy; and,
• to provide a stock of 500 MT of paddy to the World Food Organization (WFO), to which they have already consented.

6. KESBEWA-KINDELPITIYA-BANDARAGAMA HIGHWAY TO BE DEVELOPED WITH CONCRETE SURFACING AT A COST OF RS 2102 MILLION

• Bandaragama B216 Road from 0 to 11.78 Km and Waskaduwa - Bandaragama (B458) Road from 0 to 12.07 Km have been identified for rehabilitation by obtaining the required funds from Bank of Ceylon.
• The proposal made by President, in his capacity as the Minister of Ports and Highways, to award the contracts for the rehabilitation of the following roads, on the recommendations of the Standing Cabinet Appointed Procurement Committee, was approved by the Cabinet:
• Kesbewa-Kindelpitiya-Bandaragama Road having a length of 1l.78 km at the negotiated contract sum of Rs.1,029,906,963.14; and
• Waskaduwa-Bandaragama Road having a length of 12.07 km at the negotiated contract sum ofRs.l,073,816,085,52

7. IT LITERACY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT FOR UPLIFTMENT OF 6500 RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOL BY TRCSL

• A programme has already been launched to upgrade 1000 selected Secondary Schools and 5000 Primary Schools, to uplift the school system in the country, under the "Mahinda Chinthana".
• In parallel to this programme, it is proposed to launch a three year special project aimed at providing IT educational facilities, Internet facilities as well as Educational Software and Teacher training to 5000 Primary Schools, including 1590 Small Rural Schools where the student population is less than 50.
• The programme is to be launched targeting each Administrative District each month and in the first two months of 2012 the districts of Badulla and Jaffna were targeted and thereafter, it will be carried out throughout the Island within the next 24 months,
• The proposed activities include provision of Computers, Computer Accessories and Furniture to selected schools in each District, filtered Internet facilities through School Net, and training of at least two teachers etc.
• The proposal made by President, to proceed with the project, was approved by the Cabinet.