Hon. Aravinda Senarath, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· Hambantota

Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation

Profession: Teacher

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Speeches 94 #51 of 225·#24 in party

Attendance 2/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

94 speeches

3 March 2026 AI summary Due to heavy rains in the Eastern Province, particularly in harvesting districts such as Ampara, farmers faced difficulties with wet paddy and initial purchasing delays. Paddy Marketing Board stores have been opened in the relevant districts and purchases have commenced to address those hardships. Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries Agriculture Read →
3 March 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister, the Deputy Minister stated that the Wellakkal Thottam farmers’ organization had reported damage to a low-water crossing and road and requested temporary repairs. He said the Head Office asked the Ampara Irrigation Director in November 2022 to prepare estimates and include the work in the 2023 Annual Work Programme, but no estimate was received due to funding constraints, shortage of technical staff, and prioritization of urgent irrigation works for Maha and Yala seasons. He added that the road and low-water crossing have been included in the 2026 priority list, with funds expected to be allocated. Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries InfrastructureAgriculture Read →
19 February 2026 AI summary The Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation stated that the question raised was important and timely, and requested two weeks to provide a proper, structured reply. Oral Question: Hospital Attendants Shortage and Mahaweli Land Allocation (Q.) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
18 February 2026 AI summary Aravinda Senarath said the Government is implementing its policy to accelerate production by allocating suitable LRC and other State lands for cultivation and development. He stated that some lands have already been allocated and that further allocations to youth entrepreneurs and others will follow a transparent process informed by Regional Coordinating Committees. Oral Question: LRC Lands in Kalutara District: Details (1664/2025) Land & HousingEmploymentAgriculture Read →
18 February 2026 AI summary Irregular alienation and disposal of LRC lands in the past were acknowledged, including cases linked to political preferences and official lapses, and inquiries have identified instances requiring action. The Ministry of Lands has begun a programme to issue permits, grants and deeds for LRC and other State lands, with plans to confer legal title to residents on LRC lands and issue about 65,000 title deeds by around May 2026. Oral Question: LRC Lands in Kalutara District: Details (1664/2025) Land & Housing Read →
18 February 2026 AI summary Deputy Minister Aravinda Senarath, replying on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, provided district-level figures for lands declared and vested under the Land Reform Act, No. 1 of 1972, in Kalutara District, including 33,243 acres 2 roods 28 perches of high land and 243 acres 0 roods 21 perches of paddy land. He stated that division-wise records exist for LRC land distribution, deeds issued, and permit-based allocations across 14 Divisional Secretary’s Divisions, and that deeds may be issued for LRC lands not re-acquired by the Government where permits already exist. He noted that some LRC-alienated lands had later been disposed of irregularly without subsequent institutional inquiries, that lawfully alienated lands used according to the Act cannot be re-acquired, and that a mapping exercise using LRC registers and Survey Department ILAS base maps is underway to identify irregular acquisitions. Oral Question: LRC Lands in Kalutara District: Details (1664/2025) Land & Housing Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary Deputy Minister Aravinda Senarath supported extending the emergency, arguing it is necessary to coordinate state institutions and accelerate disaster management and recovery after the “Ditva” cyclone. He said the Government is using emergency powers only for relief, compensation, restoration of housing, fields, tanks and bunds, and institutional coordination, contrasting this with alleged past misuse of emergency powers by previous administrations. He rejected Opposition criticism as politically motivated, defended the Government’s record on media freedom, and urged a unified national approach to disaster recovery. Debate: Extension of Emergency Regulations (Cyclone Ditwah) Security & DefenceEnvironmentLaw & Order Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary Aravinda Senarath responded to supplementary questions on compensation and paddy purchasing linked to an irrigation matter. He stated that compensation payments are being made systematically based on officials’ information, that consultations with farming communities had already begun before the question was raised, and that remaining payments would be made within the next few days. Oral Questions: Various (Q.3, Q.5, Q.6) AgriculturePublic Finance Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary Aravinda Senarath stated that paddy purchasing arrangements have begun, with warehouses opened in several districts and storage planned according to supply inflows. He added that paddy bought in the previous season has been milled and is being released to the market in an orderly manner, and said the Government does not anticipate problems with storage or purchasing. Oral Questions: Various (Q.3, Q.5, Q.6) Agriculture Read →
6 February 2026 AI summary The Deputy Minister stated, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, that the issues raised regarding Akkaraipattu were acknowledged. He said plans had been prepared, estimates initiated, and the matter included in the 2026 priority list, making any further response not applicable. Oral Questions: Various (Q.3, Q.5, Q.6) AgricultureLand & Housing Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Aravinda Senarath stated that public land had been misallocated in some cases to political associates and that lease revenues from such projects had been neglected despite the public bearing indirect taxes. He said the Government is enforcing the law against defaulters, initiating recovery of arrears, and will take lawful action regarding a sub-lessee ordered to vacate in 2018 who has appealed. Oral Question: State Land in Alankalagala and X-Press Pearl Disaster (Q.7-9/2025) Land & HousingCorruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary Information received by the Ministry indicates improper transactions involving state lands leased to intermediaries in nearly 20 districts. The Welimada Divisional Secretariat case in Badulla, raised by another Member, is described as apparently politically influenced and transferred to third parties, and the Ministry is considering urgent inquiries and legal action. Oral Question: State Land in Alankalagala and X-Press Pearl Disaster (Q.7-9/2025) Corruption & Governance ReformLand & Housing Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister, Aravinda Senarath answered a question on a State land lease, stating that possession had been handed over in 2011 after ministerial approval and that later sublease or mortgage arrangements required the approval of the Land Commissioner General. He said the relevant party was Nalaka Rathnayake – Ambewela Wind Power (Pvt) Ltd., and that in a sublease the third party does not pay lease rent to the Government. He further stated that after SLBC’s lease was cancelled for non-payment, approval was given to mortgage the land to one of the subsequent lessees, and that lease arrears of Rs. 2,867,640 identified in 2025 had led to instructions to proceed under the State Lands Ordinance and cancel the lease. Oral Question: State Land in Alankalagala and X-Press Pearl Disaster (Q.7-9/2025) Land & HousingAgriculture Read →
5 February 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, the Deputy Minister requested two weeks to provide an answer to the question raised. The question was ordered to stand down. Oral Question: Liquor Licensing and Tax Revenue (Q.912/2025) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
21 January 2026 AI summary Hon. Aravinda Senarath rejected the suggestion that land permits are being withheld on ethnic or religious grounds, stating that the Government acts without distinction among Sinhala, Tamil, or Muslim citizens. He said the Government would inquire into alienated lands, Mahaweli lands, and other State lands in the relevant area and, where appropriate, take steps to issue permits. He requested that relevant information be submitted so the responsible institutions can be notified and the process regularized. Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute Land & HousingEthnic Reconciliation & Devolution Read →
21 January 2026 AI summary The Hon. Aravinda Senarath said the previous Government’s “Urumaya” programme to issue 2 million land deeds before the Presidential Election was launched without adequate assessment and had processed only a limited number of cases. He stated that the new Government halted and regularized the process, gathered district-level data, and is proceeding through the “Himikama” ownership programme, with plans to issue about 65,000 deeds by May. He added that outstanding applications and documents collected through Divisional Secretariats are being incorporated into a proper Ministry system under a lawful procedure. Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute Land & HousingCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
21 January 2026 AI summary The Deputy Minister provided district-wise figures for land permits and title deeds in Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa, stating that 8,268 permits had been obtained and 3,681 title deeds issued across the three districts. He said 5,417 title deeds remain to be issued and that instructions have been issued through the Commissioner General of Lands’ Circular No. 2025/02 to Divisional Secretariats and relevant institutions to expedite the process. Procedural matters - Supplementary questions and Standing Orders dispute Land & Housing Read →
20 January 2026 AI summary Hon. Aravinda Senarath stated that the Ministry is reviewing land allocations and will repossess public lands not used for approved development purposes. He said action would be taken against politicians, associates, or others who obtained lands using forged documents, and requested Members to submit local coordination committee findings and evidence to support transparent regularization and protection of State lands. Oral Question: Land Reform Commission Lands in Puttalam District (Q.55/2026) Corruption & Governance ReformLand & Housing Read →
20 January 2026 AI summary Aravinda Senarath stated that the Ministry and the Land Reform Commission are identifying relevant lands district-wide, including parcels unlawfully released, while considering long-term occupants who have lived there for decades. He said the Government aims to regularize legal status fairly, take disciplinary action against officers involved in unlawful alienations or favoritism, and ensure transparent procedures for lawful allocation and use of the lands. Oral Question: Land Reform Commission Lands in Puttalam District (Q.55/2026) Corruption & Governance ReformLand & Housing Read →
20 January 2026 AI summary On behalf of the Minister, Aravinda Senarath provided details on Land Reform Commission lands in Puttalam District vested under the Land Reform Law, noting that historical survey gaps mean records of vested and released lands are not fully precise. He stated that many remaining lands are under long-term encroachment and that settlers are being surveyed and granted deeds under approved procedures. He added that 43 of 48 investment projects have been developed, repossession is pursued where projects are not implemented or lease payments defaulted, and relevant divisional and project-wise details have been tabled in annexes placed in the Library. Oral Question: Land Reform Commission Lands in Puttalam District (Q.55/2026) Land & Housing Read →