The Hon. Jeevan Thondaman

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I first extend my greetings to the Hon. President on his return from India. His visit is welcome. In 2023, I visited Delhi with former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We discussed many matters, including the Indian Housing Project — a grant by the Government of India to build about 14,000 houses for the Up-country people. In today’s economic crisis, it is not easy for our Government to build houses in the estates; people understand and are patient. Although the project has started, it is being delayed — not due to political fault but for another reason everyone here should know.

¶ 02 Since 1948, Up-country Tamils have been fighting for rights. Despite even 66,000 houses built, expected change has not come. The real problem is the dominance of the plantation companies. Estate management decides who gets schools, houses and benefits. In many estates, out of 100 families, only about 10 work on the estate; the remaining 90 are non-workers in the informal sector and are ignored by the companies. That is the core problem and why change has been difficult under any Government.

¶ 03 Today a Government MP said the Aswesuma education grant of Rs. 6,000 per school-going child has given priority to estate communities. I have a suggestion to the Hon. Minister: children in registered worker families in estates may get it, but what about the children from non-worker, informal families? Often even with NICs, estate people do not receive due benefits, because estate managers determine beneficiaries. We are citizens of Sri Lanka, not of plantation companies.

¶ 04 Aswesuma selection uses over 20 indicators; one key condition excludes those in registered employment. Many estate residents are in the informal sector with low incomes; they too should be included. We submitted a Cabinet paper last year and I believe it was approved about two weeks later. Please ensure all deserving are included.

¶ 05 Another suggestion: there are 1,197 child development centres in the hill country. As Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure, I rehabilitated 600 with World Bank support and introduced a six-month free breakfast for about 26,000 children through your Ministry. Please reintroduce it for the remaining centres as well.

¶ 06 Regarding the President’s 2024 India visit: in 2023, we proposed a Vision Statement focusing on long-term connectivity. The 2024 Statement by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is more actionable and builds on 2023. If both are implemented complementarily, relations with India — an emerging Global South superpower — will be enhanced, especially in energy infrastructure and connectivity.

¶ 07 To Government MPs: you have the people’s mandate — use it to deliver on promises, not merely to criticize others. Finally, you pledged to reduce prices of essentials like rice and coconuts; we understand the constraints of the economic crisis, but let us work together to rebuild the country. Thank you.