Sitting of Saturday, 22 February 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1741001658041256 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Opening: Parliament Convenes and Papers Tabled 3 speeches
- 2 Petitions Petitions 5 speeches
- 3 Oral question Oral Questions: STaRR Project (Q.1/2025), KL-2 Project Kalutara (Q.2/2025), Lands - Elpitiya DS (Q.3/2025), Meegahakiula Bus Station (Q.4/2025) 22 speeches
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. T.K. Jayasundara JJB
AI summary A question was directed to the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure seeking details on the “STaRR” Project as it relates to the tea industry. The intervention appears to request information on the project’s scope, implementation, and relevance to plantation-sector development.
Agriculture Full speech → - Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary In response to a parliamentary question, the Minister stated that although the tea industry has faced setbacks, 2024 production rose to 262 million kilograms, the highest in three years. He provided details of the IFAD-supported Smallholder Tea and Rubber Revitalization Project, including Rs. 8,703.71 million disbursed as a loan on blended terms repayable by 2040, its administrative officers, and tea replanting of 4,131.798 hectares across six districts. He said Rs. 325,765 was paid per acre for replanting, administrative expenditure was Rs. 538.618 million by April 2024, field operations ended in September 2023, the project closed in March 2024, and there were no outstanding payments to growers.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. T.K. Jayasundara JJB
AI summary T.K. Jayasundara asked the Minister whether the STaRR Project, intended to revive the tea industry, had achieved its objectives and improved effectiveness. He also sought clarification on whether any irregularities had been identified in the project and what action had been taken in response.
Agriculture Full speech → - Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna stated that the project covered broad objectives in the tea and rubber sectors but had not fully achieved its targets. He noted that reports had identified some problematic areas indicating possible irregularities, and said the Ministry intends to conduct further inquiries.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. T.K. Jayasundara JJB
AI summary Asked what concrete measures and future policy direction are included in the current Budget for the tea industry. The question sought clarification on the Government’s planned support and forward path for that sector.
- Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the 2025 allocation for the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure includes multiple programmes to support the tea sector, including grants for smallholder replanting, new planting, infilling, mechanization, irrigation, transport equipment, nursery establishment, and factory upgrades. He said payments due from the previous year’s replanting programme would also be settled in 2025, and outlined additional measures such as solar panels for factories and support for plucking teams. The remarks were made in response to concerns raised about Government support for tea cultivation.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Danushka Ranganath JJB
AI summary Hon. Danushka Ranganath raised a question to the Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation regarding the current status of the KL-2 Project in the Kalutara District. The intervention sought information on the progress and implementation status of the project within the Ministry’s portfolio.
Infrastructure Full speech → - Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary Under the ADB-funded iRoad Programme in Kalutara, the KL-02 package was awarded in 2016 to a joint venture but was terminated in 2019 due to poor performance after only 34.63 km of 88.44 km had been developed. The Minister stated that rebidding was delayed by a Commercial High Court injunction, with the case disposed of only in December 2024 after the programme period had ended, leaving nine roads in Matugama and Agalawatte incomplete and causing public inconvenience. He said the performance bond proceeds have been credited to the Treasury Deposit Account and proposed using these domestic funds to complete the remaining works.
- The Hon. Danushka Ranganath JJB
AI summary Hon. Danushka Ranganath raised concerns about the poor condition of rural roads in Agalawatte and Matugama, noting impacts on education, health, the economy and social protection. He asked whether the Budget would place greater emphasis on improving rural road infrastructure.
- Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake said rural road funding would be detailed during the Ministry debate and addressed the KL-02 road project, stating it was terminated in July 2019 due to poor performance by the contractor joint venture. He said a subsequent Cabinet decision sought to re-award the balance work to the same contractors at updated rates, followed by litigation that delayed the project for five years. He proposed seeking Cabinet approval to use Rs. 400 million recovered through the performance bond to complete the roads, referring underperforming contractors to enforcement authorities, and sending the matter to COPE for examination.
- The Hon. Danushka Ranganath JJB
AI summary Asked whether a temporary solution can be provided for a development issue that has remained unresolved for years due to litigation. Also requested that, when development resumes, the project be prioritized in light of the prolonged lack of maintenance.
Infrastructure Full speech → - Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake stated that steps would be taken to recover or reallocate the approximately Rs. 400 million performance bond, with Cabinet and district-level support, to complete pending road works. He said legal and enforcement action would be pursued against the contractors concerned, and that the matter would be referred through the Hon. Speaker to COPE to examine the decisions that led to the proposed re-awarding of the contracts.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB
AI summary Asked the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation a question regarding lands owned by the Land Reform Commission in the Elpitiya Divisional Secretary’s Division. The matter was raised in the context of identifying or obtaining information on LRC-owned lands in that area.
- Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary On behalf of the Minister, the Deputy Minister provided a written-style response on Land Reform Commission lands in the Elpitiya Divisional Secretariat area. He reported the extent of high land and paddy land, outlined allocations for legal encumbrances, projects, and housing sales between 2016 and 2024, and stated that detailed GN Division breakdowns and grantee information are contained in annexes placed in the Library.
Land & Housing Full speech → - The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB
AI summary Hon. Nishantha Perera asked whether a specific Land Reform Commission land in the Eramulla Grama Niladhari Division had been allocated to any individual and, if so, on what basis. He raised concern that large plots were reportedly being subdivided and sold for Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 125,000 per perch while other families in the area continue to live in overcrowded conditions.
Land & Housing Full speech → - Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary In response regarding the Eramulla GN Division, it was stated that 10 acres had been lawfully released to Mrs. Durgadevi Aberathna on a family alternative/return basis after previously acquired land was regularized. The Deputy Minister said the family legally holds the land and that any subdivision of it falls within their legal rights.
Land & Housing Full speech → - The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB
AI summary Hon. Nishantha Perera raised a second supplementary question regarding LRC lands in the Goluwamulla GN Division. He asked whether those lands had been allocated for government or industrial purposes and sought clarification on current activities there, including cinnamon cultivation and any subdivision or sale of the land.
- Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister stated that 60 acres had been allocated for an industrial estate, with a further 10 acres adjoining it, of which 5 acres were legally released back to the family to enable cultivation. He offered to obtain and submit a detailed brief from the Land Reform Commission if further specifics were required, and noted the LRC Chairman’s appreciation of parliamentary questions as supporting oversight and operational improvements.
Land & Housing Full speech → - The Hon. Manoj Rajapaksha (on behalf of the Hon. Dinindu Saman) JJB
AI summary Manoj Rajapaksha, on behalf of Dinindu Saman, raised a question to the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government regarding the non-utilization of the Meegahakiula Bus Station in Badulla. The intervention sought information or action on why the facility remains unused and the relevant administrative responsibility for addressing the issue.
Infrastructure Full speech → - Hon. (Prof.) A.H.M.H. Abayarathna - Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government JJB
AI summary Rs. 17.87 million was spent on the Meegahakiula bus station, but it has not been used because it has only one access road, which is insufficient for efficient bus entry and exit. A stakeholder meeting on 30 January 2025 decided to acquire land for a new access road from the Meegahakiula Hospital to the bus station, with interim access options to be considered. The Minister stated that the project is not considered futile and that local authorities will be instructed to conduct feasibility studies and proper planning before undertaking similar projects.
Infrastructure Full speech →
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- 6 Debate Appropriation Bill 2025 - Second Reading Debate (Fifth Allotted Day) 137 speeches
- 7 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Prevention of Unlawful Fishing Activities in the North 14 speeches