The Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, I answer as follows:

¶ 02 (a)(i) In respect of the land known as Walahanduwa Estate in Galle, the following alienations have been made on sale and lease bases:

¶ 03 1) For employees of the Land Reforms Commission (sale) – 5 acres – 2017.03.09 2) Akmeemana Multi-purpose Cooperative Society (sale) – 3 acres 3 roods 4 perches – 1980 3) To Ms. Sujeewa Nishanthi (on lease) – 0 acres 1 rood 20 perches – 2017.01.01

¶ 04 Items 1 and 2 are subdivisional sales. Under item 3, 0A-1R-20P has been granted on long-term lease.

¶ 05 In addition, steps had been initiated to carry out certain activities, but by Gazette Extraordinary No. 2271/25 of 2022.03.15, the land known as Walahanduwa Estate, comprising 401 hectares, has been vested in the State Plantation Corporation; therefore, no further steps were taken on those activities.

¶ 06 (ii)–(vii) Specific actions contemplated included: - Allocation to the Central Cultural Fund for construction of a Marine Archaeology Research and Conservation Laboratory: 1A-0R-2.78P was surveyed by Licensed Surveyor U.G. Nandamaleeni Jayawardena (Plan Nos. 1423 of 2021.03.22), valuation computed with Land Reforms Commission approval at Rs. 17,017,091.87 and notified for payment. However, as per the gazette history, title/current control rests with the State Plantation Corporation. The alienation has not been completed. - Allocation of 20 perches to the Walahanduwa Samurdhi Community Based Bank: surveyed (Plan No. 1654 of 2022.05.12, Lot 03), valuation of Rs. 5,006,483.13 advised, not paid; alienation has not been completed. - No alienation has been made to the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority. - Separately, land acquisitions for public purposes under the Land Acquisition Act from Walahanduwa Estate are in progress; details are attached as an annex.

¶ 07 As at present, by Gazette Extraordinary No. 2271/25 of 2022.03.15, 401 hectares of Walahanduwa Estate stand with the State Plantation Corporation. There have been changes over time between the Land Reforms Commission (LRC) and the State Plantation Corporation; currently, the land is with the State Plantation Corporation, creating overlaps with multiple requests. Acquisition processes are ongoing; therefore, payments have not yet been made.

¶ 08 Answers to sub-parts: (ii) Acquisition works are in progress. (iii) No payments made to date. (iv) Yes, for the activities listed in the annex. (v) Forty-two land requirements have been indicated in requests from Walahanduwa Estate. (vi) Acquisition works are in progress. (vii) No.

¶ 09 (b) Not applicable.

¶ 10 The annex is placed in the Library.