Sitting of Monday, 17 March 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1745486934006324 ·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 Speaker's Announcements and Ministerial Special Mentions 3 speeches
- 2 Committee report Ministerial Consultative Committee Reports 1 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions Presentation 3 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Answers to Questions (Q.504/2025, Q.510/2025, Q.483/2025, Q.493/2025) 16 speeches
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB
AI summary Asked the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure to provide details on the “Tea Shakthi” Fund, including the year it was established, its total membership, the current amount of funds available, and future programmes planned using those funds. He also requested reasons if the information could not be provided.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the Tea Shakthi Fund was established in 2000 under Act No. 47 of 2000 and currently has about 140,000 members, including 94,425 share members. As of 1 February 2025, the Fund held Rs. 451.85 million in fixed deposits and bank balances. Planned uses include settling Rs. 208 million in shareholder liabilities, maintaining a Rs. 135 million welfare insurance fund for small tea holders, releasing Rs. 33 million in retained initial deposits when needed, and seeking Cabinet approval for concessional revolving credit schemes for tea replanting.
- The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB
AI summary Nishantha Perera raised concerns that audit reports indicate mismanagement and misuse of a Fund financed by small tea holders. He asked the Minister what measures would be taken to prevent future misuse.
- The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary The Minister stated that the Fund, established in 2000 with Rs. 781 million from the Treasury, shareholders, and member insurance contributions, remained profitable until 2008 but subsequently recorded losses. He attributed the decline to poor management and alleged fraud and corruption noted in audit reports, and said inquiries would be conducted with appropriate action to follow.
- The Hon. Nishantha Perera JJB
AI summary Hon. Nishantha Perera raised concerns about the decline of small tea-factory units under the Tea Shakthi Fund and noted that some leased factories have not generated the expected lease payments. He asked what action would be taken regarding those factories and the resulting financial losses.
- The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure JJB
AI summary Rs. 451 million has been recovered in lease rentals from 12 Fund-owned factories leased to operators, after the Fund had previously declined to a very low balance. Defaults by some lessees are being addressed through notices and engagement, with legal or administrative action proposed if payments do not resume. The Minister said the Fund will be comprehensively reviewed, and non-viable operators may be replaced with parties able to continue operations.
- The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara JJB
AI summary Major General (Rtd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara asked the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development for details on SANASA Development Bank’s “Uththamachara” loan scheme for retired military officers, including Central Bank regulation, disbursement figures, pension-based lending criteria, and repayment periods. He also sought clarification on COVID-19-related recovery extensions, whether they led to interest payments exceeding the principal, whether such extensions were made at the Bank’s discretion, and what steps would be taken to ensure fairness for affected borrowers.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning
AI summary The Deputy Minister provided details on the SDB “Uththamachara” loan scheme for disabled military personnel, stating that 6,368 recipients had received Rs. 41.1 billion since 2014, including 5,303 recipients and Rs. 28.2 billion from 2020 to 2024. He explained that the scheme is salary-based and not available to retirees, with repayment periods generally from one to ten years, and that variable-rate EMI loans may have their tenors adjusted when interest rates change. He said interest had been retrospectively reduced to 13 per cent, interest is not charged on unpaid interest, restructurings are done by agreement without additional charges in relevant cases, and unresolved borrower grievances may be referred to the Central Bank’s Financial Consumer Relations Department.
- The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara JJB
AI summary Hon. Major General (Rtd.) G.D. Sooriyabandara requested the Ministry of Finance to intervene in grievances involving disabled tri-forces personnel, police, Civil Security Force members, and some public and semi-government employees regarding loan or instalment arrangements linked to SDB. He noted that legal action and protests had occurred, with concerns that consent under Form 238 of the Financial Regulations had not been obtained for extending instalments, and urged mediation to secure a fair solution.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma - Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning
AI summary Acknowledging the service and sacrifice of disabled war veterans, the Deputy Minister stated that the Government would intervene sensitively where institutions had failed to provide necessary facilitation. He said such cases would be examined and measures arranged to ensure fair treatment.
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka (on behalf of the Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah) SJB
AI summary Asked the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs whether the Government is aware that registered Muslim mosques employ Imams and Muadhdhins, and that no written record exists setting minimum wages for those positions. He sought clarification on whether a decision will be made to establish minimum wages and ensure equal payment for these roles across all mosques, and if not, the reasons for inaction.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Hiniduma Sunil Senevi - Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs JJB
AI summary Most registered mosques have Imam and Muadhdhin positions, though some do not, and their establishment depends on each mosque’s income. The Minister stated that no decision has been made on a minimum wage for these positions and that a fixed wage cannot be set because mosques are not income-generating institutions and rely mainly on varying local monthly contributions.
Religion & Culture Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera JJB
AI summary On behalf of Hon. Padmasiri Bandara, Hon. (Dr.) Nishantha Samaraweera raised a parliamentary question. No substantive details of the question or related policy matter were provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip JJB
AI summary The Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip requested additional time to provide an answer to a question. The question was accordingly ordered to stand down.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →
- 5 Procedural Sectoral Oversight Committees Appointment Motion 2 speeches
- 6 Debate Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate on Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and Ministry of Environment 103 speeches
- 7 Procedural Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Amendments 8 speeches
- 8 Procedural Galle Heritage Foundation Annual Report Motion 1 speeches
- 9 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Necessity of Drafting a New Constitution 11 speeches