Sitting of Friday, 10 October 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 22640 ·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 Ruling on Privilege Matter (7 October 2025) 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Auditor-General's Report: Printing Motion 1 speeches
- 3 Oral question Oral Questions and Government Answers (Questions 342/2024, 7/561/2025, 9/984/2025, 10/1120/2025, 8/625/2025) 56 speeches
- 4 Procedural Business of Parliament: Private Members' Motions - Point of Order on Motion P.30/2025 23 speeches
- 5 Procedural Privilege Motion: Hon. Nalin Hewage 1 speeches
- 6 Debate Private Members' Motion P.41/2025: Ruwanpura Expressway 15 speeches
- 7 Debate Private Members' Motion P.42/2025: Sinharaja Tourism Zone 12 speeches
- 8 Debate Private Members' Motion P.43/2025: Integrating Law and Ethics to School Curriculum 15 speeches
- 9 Debate Private Members' Motion P.46/2025: National Drug Quality Assurance Laboratory 15 speeches
- 10 Debate Private Members' Motion P.47/2025: Insurance Scheme for Farming Community 17 speeches
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Rohana Bandara
AI summary Hon. Rohana Bandara moved a resolution calling for a comprehensive insurance scheme for the farming community, arguing that existing crop-damage cover is limited in value, scope, and eligibility. He said farmers face risks from crop failure, accidents, illness, death, loss of income, and inadequate retirement protection, while current pension and insurance arrangements do not cover most needs. He proposed expanding insurance to cover cultivation risks, the period from harvest to payment, life and disability, and retirement for all categories of farmers.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary The Member supported Hon. Rohana Bandara’s motion to introduce a farmer insurance scheme, noting that existing crop insurance and pension arrangements have low participation and limited coverage. He urged a comprehensive scheme covering crops, life, health and marketing risks for paddy, vegetable and other farmers, citing hazards such as lightning, snakebites, machinery injuries, leptospirosis, kidney disease and human-elephant conflict.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Sudath Balagalla JJB
AI summary Hon. Sudath Balagalla supported the Motion and argued that farmers require comprehensive protection beyond life insurance, including seed insurance, crop damage cover, and safeguards against hazards such as elephant attacks. He said key foundations of agriculture—seed, water, land, and fair harvest prices—have weakened, citing high seed prices, flood-related soil erosion in Mahiyanganaya-Ulhitiya, lack of irrigation affecting 1,750 acres before the Badulu Oya dam project, and market failures causing produce to be dumped. He contrasted past benefits for MPs with the unmet needs of farmers and called for a practical programme to secure farmers’ basic agricultural conditions and provide crop and life insurance.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi moved that Hon. Sanjeewa Ranasinghe take the Chair. The motion was agreed to, after which Hon. Chanaka Madugoda left the Chair and Hon. Sanjeewa Ranasinghe assumed it.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan DTNA
AI summary Hon. Amirthanathan Adaikkalanathan welcomed the Private Member’s proposal by Hon. Rohana Bandara to establish an insurance scheme for farmers, highlighting the hardships faced by farmers in the North and East after war, displacement, poor harvest-time prices, debt, and natural disasters. He noted that existing insurance compensation is often delayed and called for a practical, timely scheme covering losses and risks such as elephant attacks, pesticide exposure, machinery accidents, and deaths. He argued that strengthening agriculture and fisheries as key livelihoods would support national progress and help affected farming families maintain dignity.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. E.M. Basnayaka JJB
AI summary Hon. E.M. Basnayaka supported the Motion and said the Government had taken measures to protect farmers by safeguarding reservoir lands and water resources, including surveying and demarcating tank reservations to prevent encroachment. He cited an increase in cultivation support from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 and said the Government had introduced a guaranteed paddy price aligned with production costs to stabilize markets and strengthen farmer confidence.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran ITAK
AI summary Kaveenthiran Kodeeswaran supported the Motion proposing an insurance scheme for farmers, arguing that the State has a duty to protect those who sustain the country’s food supply. He called for a robust free insurance and pension scheme, timely and adequate compensation for crop damage, and guaranteed fair prices for paddy. He also raised concerns about high-interest farm loans and exploitative microcredit practices that leave farmers indebted and vulnerable.
- The Hon. Namal Karunaratne - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne supported the Motion, highlighting recent hardships faced by farmers and outlining government measures on cultivation expansion, fertilizer and interseasonal crop support, export crop grants, irrigation rehabilitation, soil testing, and high-yield varieties. He said the Government aims to raise paddy yields above 7,000 kg per hectare by 2028 while improving market access, value addition, and agro-industry linkages. He noted ongoing crop insurance for six crops, plans to expand insurance to other crops and livestock, a new farmer pension scheme, and increased ex-gratia payments for deaths from human–elephant conflict from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 1,000,000.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Rohana Bandara
AI summary Rohana Bandara urged the Government to move beyond assurances and take practical steps to protect paddy farmers, particularly in light of plans to expand cultivation by 50,000 hectares during the Maha season. He questioned the strategy for balancing rice varieties, citing the recent over-cultivation of Kekirisamba that depressed prices, and asked what safeguards would be provided if this recurs. He called for procurement and storage to be diversified beyond major millers to prevent price crashes, while stating that the Opposition would support a workable programme to assist farmers.
Agriculture Full speech → - The Hon. Namal Karunaratne - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock JJB
AI summary Namal Karunaratne stated that the Government had already begun the relevant work and rejected the suggestion that it was deflecting responsibility. The exchange concluded with the question being put and agreed to.
Agriculture Full speech →
- 11 Adjournment Adjournment: Motion on Independence of National Police Commission (SO 19(2)) 21 speeches