Sitting of Thursday, 7 May 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23540 ·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: Special Security Arrangements on 08 May 2026 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Annual Reports and Committee Report 4 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions 5 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question 3 (840/2025): Dhammarathana Vidyalaya and Other Schools in Moratuwa 7 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question 4: Cybercrime Cases Against Women 6 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question 6 (1337/2025): Sports Officers and District Youth Service Officer in Ampara 7 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question 7 (1457/2025): Post Offices in Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya Districts 7 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question 8: Waste Disposal at National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala 6 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question 9: Community Water Supply Schemes in Vavuniya 6 speeches
- 10 Oral question Second Round of Oral Questions (Q.10 and Tabled Answers) 8 speeches
- 11 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Standing Order 27(2) 6 speeches
- 12 Oral question Questions by Private Notice: Fuel Purchase (CPC) and Private Lands Released by Military 9 speeches
- 13 Papers Ministry Statements: Agriculture, Poverty Alleviation 21 speeches
- The Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera - Deputy Minister of Defence JJB
AI summary The Deputy Minister of Defence stated that the question was lengthy and requested additional time to provide a response.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB
AI summary The Minister tabled a written answer regarding Vaddakkachchi Agriculture School and Farm, stating that it falls under the Northern Provincial Ministry and that the central Ministry does not hold primary land data. He reported that 52 acres are currently under the Northern Provincial Department of Agriculture and 165 acres under the Civil Security Department, with steps required among relevant central, provincial and district authorities to release the latter for provincial agricultural development programmes. He also stated that proposals to operationalise 416 acres have been submitted for approval and funding, and outlined ongoing crop varietal research and livestock genetic improvement efforts, noting that new animal breed discovery research is not currently undertaken.
- The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue was stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary The Member urged the Chair to allow another Opposition Member to ask supplementary questions in the absence of Hon. Sritharan, citing Standing Orders 92(2)(a) and 33(1). He argued that Opposition questions are raised due to their importance and should not be lost because the original Member is absent.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB
AI summary The Minister responded to the Opposition Leader’s SO 27(2) question by outlining official poverty measurement, noting that the latest district estimates are from 2019, the 2025 HIES results are due in October 2026, and the Welfare Benefits Board identified 1,695,843 poor beneficiary households as at March 2026. He stated that poverty is defined through the Official Poverty Line, Rs. 16,690 per person per month nationally in March 2026, supplemented by multidimensional poverty indicators covering education, health and living standards. He described economic and social impacts of poverty and listed current Government responses, including Aswesuma cash transfers, programmes for persons with disabilities and older persons, a contributory pension scheme for informal workers, and livelihood and empowerment initiatives under Samurdhi. He highlighted the National Social Protection Policy, the 2025–2035 strategic plan, and the Rs. 25 billion “Praja Shakthi” poverty eradication programme focused on community-level empowerment, food security, human capital, supply chains, care services and productive economic development.
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa questioned the Government’s basis for calculating the Official Poverty Line for March 2026 while the 2025 Household Income and Expenditure Survey results were not expected until October 2026. He argued that both the previous and current Governments had relied on outdated 2019 data despite major crises and called for the HIES to be conducted at least every two years to ensure poverty alleviation policies are based on current food and non-food expenditure data.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition requested an additional minute to continue his remarks during the debate.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa stated that accurate calculations and data are essential for government policymaking. He warned that without them, any government risks formulating policies based on incorrect information.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The available excerpt is too brief to identify a substantive argument, proposal, question, or policy context. It only records the Leader of the Opposition addressing a Minister, without further content to summarize.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition, requested a brief additional 15 seconds to make a final point, appealing to the Speaker’s goodwill.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition requested a brief pause of five seconds during proceedings.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition requested the Minister to design a structured poverty alleviation programme. He proposed that it should incorporate consumption, investment, savings, production, and exports.
Cost of Living Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage responded that district-wise poverty data had not been surveyed between 2019 and 2024, but the Household Income and Expenditure Survey was conducted in 2025 and the Department of Census and Statistics is due to publish results in October 2026. He said the Official Poverty Line is published monthly and is currently Rs. 16,690 per person per month nationally, with district variations such as Colombo at Rs. 18,000 and Monaragala at Rs. 15,958. He also cited World Bank estimates indicating poverty declined from 24.8 per cent in 2024 to 20.1 per cent in April 2026, and said these data guide poverty alleviation programmes.
- 14 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order, Privilege, and Parliamentary Business 39 speeches
- 15 Papers Presentation of Bills and Regulations Approval 16 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: National Transport Commission Act Regulations, Motor Traffic Act Regulations, Immigrants and Emigrants Act Regulations 17 speeches
- 17 Procedural Suspension of Proceedings for Lunch 1 speeches
- 18 Debate Debate and Approval: Public Security Ordinance Extension (Emergency) - Part 1 19 speeches
- 19 Debate Debate and Approval: Public Security Ordinance Extension (Emergency) - Part 2 48 speeches
- 20 Procedural Division Vote and Adjournment: Public Security Ordinance Resolution 15 speeches