Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· National List

Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment

Profession: Sociologist

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Speeches 99 #48 of 225·#22 in party

Attendance 8/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

99 speeches

15 March 2025 AI summary As Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, Dr. Upali Pannilage tabled figures on Samurdhi staffing, vacancies, retirements and pensions, noting 17,624 Samurdhi Development Officers and 2,093 Samurdhi Managers in service as of 31 January 2025, with approval sought to fill 2,513 Development Officer vacancies. He outlined the supervisory structure, functions and promotion schemes for Samurdhi Development Officers and Managers, and reported that most pending pension files for retired officers had been forwarded to the Department of Pensions or were being regularized. He also detailed Samurdhi programme plans, including 1,097 Samurdhi Bank Societies, the 2025–2029 empowerment of two million low-income families under Aswasuma, the “Sipdora” scholarship programme for 56,000 A/L students in 2025, and concessional microfinance lending through Samurdhi Banks. Oral Question: Samurdhi Development Officers and Samurdhi Managers Details (Q.382/2025) Public FinanceCost of Living Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary Minister Upali Pannilage said the Government is increasing investment in higher education, including Rs. 135 billion for the sector, to address limited university access, curriculum and assessment reform, staffing shortages, and infrastructure gaps. He stated that Mahapola and bursary payments are proposed to be increased from April, with Rs. 4,600 million allocated, and Rs. 37,891 million set aside for university infrastructure including hostels, sanitation, and student facilities. He also said the Vice-Chancellor appointment process under the Universities Act needs depoliticization and reform, while Rs. 3,000 million has been allocated to begin addressing academic and non-academic vacancies and pay issues. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Seventeenth Allotted Day – Committee Stage Women & ChildrenEducationPublic Finance Read →
10 March 2025 AI summary The Minister presented the 2022 Annual Report and Financial Statements of the Sri Lanka Social Security Board and the 2023 Annual Performance Report of the Rehabilitation of the Visually Handicapped Trust Fund. He moved that the reports be referred to the relevant Sectoral Oversight Committee, and the motion was agreed to. Papers Presented and Ministerial Consultative Committee Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary Dr. Upali Pannilage formally moved the adjournment of Parliament. The Deputy Chairperson of Committees then proposed the Question. Adjournment Motion: Jaffna - Social Impact of Drug Addiction Among Youth Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage, during the Committee Stage of the Appropriation Bill, 2025, formally moved an amendment under Head 331, Programme 02. No substantive details of the amendment or supporting arguments were provided in the excerpt. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage: Final Amendments and Progress Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary At the Committee Stage of the Appropriation Bill, 2025, Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage moved an amendment relating to Head 124, Programme 02. No further details of the amendment or its rationale were provided in the excerpt. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage: Final Amendments and Progress Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary On behalf of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Upali Pannilage moved a Committee Stage amendment to the Appropriation Bill, 2025, for the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment. The amendment proposed replacing the relevant budget lines with allocations of Rs. 24.99 billion for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 6.16 billion for capital expenditure. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage: Final Amendments and Progress Report Public Finance Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary Concluding the debate on his Ministry, the Minister said the Aswasuma data system would be updated within a year in line with the Government’s policy statement and would be used to determine benefits this year. He stated that the Samurdhi Development Department had been re-strengthened, with higher office allowances for officers and managers, proper duties and allowances for graduates in Samurdhi Banks, and promotion schemes introduced across several grades. He also noted a Cabinet decision to allow eligible long-serving Samurdhi officers to retire, and said the elderly allowance had been increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000 while expanding beneficiaries from about 857,000 to 1,020,000. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage Continued: Heads 124, 151, 331 Public FinanceCost of Living Read →
5 March 2025 AI summary Minister Pannilage defended the President’s use of poverty data in the Budget, arguing that multidimensional poverty must be assessed through living standards, education and health rather than a single indicator. He said the Ministry’s priorities are rural development and social security, including preparation of development plans for all 14,022 Grama Niladhari divisions through a new Rural Development Agency, supported by Rs. 1,012 million and reallocated Grama Shakthi funds. He stated that Rs. 749 billion has been earmarked for social protection, including a new disability registry, an increase in the disability allowance from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000, and expanded coverage from about 139,000 to 410,000 beneficiaries. Appropriation Bill, 2025 – Committee Stage: Heads 124, 216, 331, 151 and 290 AgricultureWomen & ChildrenCost of Living Read →
4 March 2025 AI summary The Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment moved the adjournment of Parliament. The motion “That Parliament do now adjourn” was then proposed. Adjournment Motion: Flood Mitigation in Ratnapura District Parliamentary Procedure Read →
24 February 2025 AI summary The Minister supported Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva’s proposal on persons with disabilities, noting its significance in the context of disability representation in Parliament. He said the Government is updating the 2003 disability policy in line with current needs, a social model of disability, and United Nations conventions. He emphasized the need for accurate data, citing discrepancies in previous figures, and stated that the 2025 Budget allocates an additional Rs. 100 million to establish a data system for persons with disabilities. Adjournment Debate: Policy-Driven Programme for Persons with Disabilities Public FinanceCorruption & Governance ReformWomen & Children Read →
24 February 2025 AI summary The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage stated that the Budget Speech provides for an increase in the monthly allowance for persons with disabilities from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000. Adjournment Debate: Policy-Driven Programme for Persons with Disabilities Public Finance Read →
24 February 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage requested that Hon. Sugath Wasantha de Silva be allocated sufficient speaking time, indicating that the Government benches could reduce their allotted time to accommodate this. Adjournment Debate: Policy-Driven Programme for Persons with Disabilities Parliamentary Procedure Read →
24 February 2025 AI summary Dr. Upali Pannilage stated that the Government has increased several social protection payments, including Aswasuma benefits, disability allowances, and, from April, the kidney patients’ allowance. He said social protection is a core Government policy and described the Budget as strengthening public services and initiating structural transformation. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Cost of LivingPublic FinanceHealthcare Read →
24 February 2025 AI summary Dr. Upali Pannilage requested the Deputy Chairperson of Committees to grant him one additional minute to continue his remarks. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Parliamentary Procedure Read →
24 February 2025 AI summary Minister Upali Pannilage defended the NPP Government’s inaugural Budget as aligned with its “Prosperous Country – Beautiful Life” mandate and based on increasing production, broad public participation in production, and equitable distribution of growth. He highlighted allocations for agriculture, irrigation, fertilizer support, coconut expansion in the North, tourism development, and provincial and district development to reduce regional disparities. He also emphasized expanded investment in education, higher education scholarships, public health including medicine procurement and removal of VAT on medicine-related inputs, and over Rs. 700 billion for social welfare and protection. Debate: Second Reading of Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Sixth Allotted Day Public FinanceAgricultureEducation Read →
9 January 2025 AI summary The Minister referred to Section 9 of the Welfare Benefits Act, No. 24 of 2002, and presented the Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Order, citing survey and poverty data to contextualize the economic impact on households. He stated that two welfare benefit categories due to expire on 31 December 2024 were extended to 31 March 2025, while monthly payments for the Poor and Extreme Poor categories were increased from January 2025. He said the Government’s five-year programme prioritizes poverty eradication through cash transfers, empowerment of two million vulnerable and extremely poor families, and integrated rural development including community-based microfinance and savings initiatives. Special Commodity Levy Act: Orders and Related Motions Public FinanceCost of LivingAgriculture Read →
4 December 2024 AI summary Minister Upali Pannilage said Cyclone “Fengal” and rains since 21 November had affected 141,151 families, mostly in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, with 18 deaths and around 20 injuries reported. He outlined government actions including formalizing disaster management responsibilities by Gazette, presidential directives for immediate relief, ministerial visits to Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, increased relief allocations, and deployment of security forces and officials. He argued that Sri Lanka must strengthen disaster preparedness, citing climate change, monsoon patterns, unplanned development and environmental degradation as factors increasing recurring flood and landslide risks. Adjournment Motion: Compensation for Damaged Crops and Victims of Adverse Weather (Cyclone Fengal) EnvironmentInfrastructurePublic Finance Read →
3 December 2024 AI summary The Minister said the Government’s “Prosperous Country, Beautiful Life” policy aims to address debt, poverty, and multidimensional deprivation through education, health, rural development, and community empowerment. He argued that Sri Lanka must reduce rural and estate poverty by raising agricultural productivity, particularly paddy yields, while using temporary rice imports only to stabilize supply after disruptions such as floods. He outlined plans to improve exports, including doubling tea foreign exchange earnings through value addition and productivity, and said the new Ministry would focus on empowerment rather than welfare alone. He also announced proposed increases in allowances for elderly persons, persons with disabilities, and patients with chronic illnesses in the next Budget. Debate: President's Policy Statement (Continuation with Maiden Speeches and Responses) AgricultureCost of LivingEmployment Read →