Sitting of Wednesday, 4 March 2026

Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

1. 1 Opening Parliament Opening and Auditor-General's Report 1 speeches ▸
2. 2 Papers Papers: Annual Reports and Auditor-General's Report 1 speeches ▸
3. 3 Petitions Petitions 4 speeches ▸
4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Paddy Purchasing and Guaranteed Prices (Q.1347/2025) 3 speeches ▾
   • Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna JJB

     AI summary Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna asked the Prime Minister to outline the Government’s measures for purchasing paddy during the 2025/2026 Maha season, with the stated aims of protecting farmers and avoiding consumer inconvenience. He requested details on guaranteed prices by paddy variety, purchasing mechanisms, allocated funds, the number of purchasing centres by district operated by the Paddy Marketing Board and other state intermediaries, and any new policy reforms to address problems experienced in the previous season.

     AgriculturePublic Finance Full speech →
   • The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB

     AI summary Guaranteed prices for the 2025/2026 Maha season were stated as Rs. 120 per kg for Nadu, Rs. 130 for Samba, and Rs. 140 for Keeri Samba, with Paddy Marketing Board stores opened for procurement under specified standards. A Rs. 10,000 million allocation has been made, purchasing centres are listed in an annex, and PMB storage capacity has been increased to 250,000 metric tons under warehouse rehabilitation. It was noted that more than 13,000 metric tons of paddy had already been delivered, and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock would respond to the supplementary question.

     Agriculture Full speech →
   • Hon. Namal Karunaratne - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock JJB

     AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Government purchase price for Nadu paddy has improved farmers’ margins compared with the position when the Government took office, and noted that Rs. 120 per kg provides better returns for some varieties such as Red Nadu. He explained that under the Paddy Marketing Board Act No. 14 of 1971, PMB can only accept paddy with moisture up to 14 percent, and amendments are being prepared to address related constraints. He said the Government is installing paddy dryers, including two in Thalawa, with plans to cover Ampara and link dryers to PMB warehouses with private sector participation, to prevent farmers selling at lower prices due to insufficient drying facilities.

     Agriculture Full speech →
5. 5 Oral question Oral Question: Artificial Intelligence Summit 2026 2 speeches ▸
6. 6 Oral question Oral Question: Government Printing Department Vacancies and Qualifications 11 speeches ▸
7. 7 Oral question Oral Question: Cyclone Ditcha Relief and Compensation (Q.1368/2025) 9 speeches ▸
8. 8 Oral question Oral Questions: Paddy Marketing Board and Fertilizer Subsidies 21 speeches ▸
9. 9 Oral question Oral Question: Irrigation Tanks and Cascade Systems in Vavuniya (Q.1406/2025) 7 speeches ▸
10. 10 Oral question Oral Question: Special Sports Schools Development (Q.1468/2025) 5 speeches ▸
11. 11 Oral question Oral Question: Projects in Trincomalee District (Q.1476/2025) 5 speeches ▸
12. 12 Oral question Standing Order 27(2) Question: Middle East Crisis and Strait of Hormuz 25 speeches ▸
13. 13 Procedural Procedural: Points of Order on Iran Supreme Leader Assassination 8 speeches ▸
14. 14 Oral question Standing Order 27(2) Question: Central Bank Inflation Target Deviation 3 speeches ▸
15. 15 Procedural Procedural: Personal Explanation and Special Select Committee Announcement 8 speeches ▸
16. 16 Debate Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading 20 speeches ▸
17. 17 Procedural Procedural: Lunch Suspension 1 speeches ▸
18. 18 Debate Debate: Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill - Second Reading (Continued) 79 speeches ▸
19. 19 Procedural Procedural: Adjournment Motion 1 speeches ▸
20. 20 Adjournment Adjournment: Questions on Cyclone Relief and Tourism 7 speeches ▸
21. 21 Procedural Procedural: Parliament Adjournment 1 speeches ▸