The Hon. (Mrs.) A.M.M.M. Rathwaththe

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, to dignify politics in Sri Lanka, we have recently passed several important laws. Today we also consider a vital Amendment Bill and two Supplementary Estimates: the National Audit (Amendment) Bill, and Supplementary Estimates for the Ministries of Urban Development, Housing and Construction; and Women and Child Affairs.

¶ 02 Under the Urban Development, Construction and Housing Ministry, we intend through this Supplementary Estimate to resolve the drinking water issue for 700,000 families by completing the Kandy North–Pathadumbara Integrated Water Supply Project, which began in 2019 with Chinese assistance but was halted midway due to suspension of funding. About 89 percent of work is reportedly complete. The stoppage caused prolonged hardship, including environmental and social issues. As a people-centric Government, we decided to settle Rs. 10.3 billion due to the contractor from domestic funds, allocate Rs. 3 billion this year to finish works serving about 100,000 families now, and ultimately provide water to 700,000 families. Total additional requirement is Rs. 13.3 billion, effected by converting foreign financing to domestic financing.

¶ 03 For the Women and Child Affairs Ministry, beyond the ongoing Rs. 4,500 monthly nutrition pack for 10 months to pregnant or lactating mothers with undernutrition, the Government decided to provide an additional one-off Rs. 5,000 nutrition pack during the last New Year season. The Election Commission suspended it due to the 2025 local authority election period. Rs. 1,500 million had been set aside for that purpose. As spending was not possible earlier, the Government will now provide the Rs. 5,000 pack during the upcoming December Christmas season. According to the National Secretariat for Early Childhood Development, as of June 2025, 162,200 undernourished pregnant and lactating mothers will receive this Rs. 5,000 pack in addition to the Rs. 4,500 monthly support, for which Rs. 1,500 million is provided via this Supplementary Estimate. Separately, the allocation for nutrition packs for pregnant mothers is to be increased from Rs. 7,500 million to Rs. 9,000 million by virement between heads, with no new net allocation, and with authority to exceed original head provisions through this Supplementary Estimate.

¶ 04 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees.