The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha

¶ 01 On agriculture, our Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara spoke. To enhance this debate, let me briefly remind the House of the breadth of this Ministry. When we say the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, its subject scope is vast—indeed broader than “agriculture” alone. For the awareness of Members on both Government and Opposition benches, and the country, I propose we also focus on these areas during the debate.

¶ 02 We have the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Agrarian Development; the Department of Animal Production and Health; and the Department of the Land Commissioner General. Allocations to this Ministry are based on these. We also have the Land Use Policy Planning Department; the Department of Survey; the Department of Irrigation; and the Department of Export Agriculture. Mr. Chairman, Export Agriculture is rarely discussed; most of the time we only hear about shortages of fertilizer or prices of inputs—onions and potatoes—those are discussed, and rightly so, but please also consider this side. There is the Department of Cinnamon Development as well, which the Chief Opposition Whip is well aware of.

¶ 03 Next, we have 20 more institutions. The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board exists; an Hon. Member raised matters on insurance today as well. The Paddy Marketing Board; the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute; and the Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy (SLCARP). Also, the National Program for Agricultural Diversification and Settlement—Sri Lanka Hadabima Authority; the National Fertilizer Secretariat; the Colombo Commercial Fertilizers/State Fertilizer Company Limited; and the National Food Promotion Board. Next, the National Institute of Post-Harvest Management in Anuradhapura; the National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) and affiliated companies; Milco (Pvt) Ltd—this institution has been turned from loss to profit within a short period under its responsible officials.

¶ 04 Further, Mahaweli Livestock Enterprises Company; the Land Reform Commission; the Institute of Surveying and Mapping; the Land Survey Council; the Land Acquisition Review Board; and major irrigation development projects including Uma Oya, Moragahakanda, Kalu Ganga, Gin, Nilwala, Malwathu Oya and others; the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and its subsidiaries and affiliates; and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka.