The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam

¶ 01 Greetings to all!

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Chairperson, today, in the Tamil month of Karthigai, is a special day for Tamil-speaking people worldwide. On such a day, I bow my head and pay homage to our heroes who laid down their lives for our land.

¶ 03 In today’s debate on the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, I wish to begin with a couplet from the Tirukkural:

¶ 04 “Though the world spins on the plough’s rear, it’s said, By toil of farmers is this earth upheld.”

¶ 05 This is Kural 1031. Its meaning is that those unable to engage in agriculture rely on farmers, and thus farmers are the axle-pin of the world. Therefore, this debate is very important. Beyond incomes, agriculture, animal husbandry, irrigation, fisheries and plantations are intertwined with people’s livelihoods and our traditional culture. About 30 percent of our population are farmers, yet their contribution to GDP is only 7 to 8 percent. Hence we face the need to import food from abroad. In this Budget Head, let me highlight a few key items and proceed.

¶ 06 Under processing, storage and market access for agricultural produce, Rs. 4 billion has been allocated. This is commendable. I requested the Hon. Minister earlier to provide cold-room facilities at the Vavuniya Economic Center; though not directly under his Ministry, he promised to coordinate with the Ministry of Cooperative Development. I trust he will fulfill that.

¶ 07 Hon. Minister, Rs. 2,500 million has been allocated for the Kivul Oya project. There is a fear that when implemented, the lands and village tanks of the indigenous Tamil residents in that region will be submerged; I too believe that is likely. Therefore, local people strongly oppose Kivul Oya, as similar past projects were used for ethnically-motivated settlement of people from outside the Province, and then to provide livelihoods for them. Implementing Kivul Oya at the expense of longstanding residents will create new problems. Please hold transparent consultations with stakeholders and proceed only with transparency, to avoid unnecessary conflicts.

¶ 08 On milk production, both your statement and the President’s address noted that domestic production currently meets about 40 percent of national demand, and that by 2030 the Government aims to raise that to 70–80 percent domestically. This is positive, as we spend a large amount of foreign exchange on milk powder imports. Please expand support not only in selected regions but across all areas; and facilitate small and medium-scale dairy farmers through veterinary services. There are serious human resource and physical resource shortages in veterinary stations; doctors lack proper transport and vehicles, and field staff too face constraints. Please address this.

¶ 09 Also, veterinary drugs are often unavailable in our stations; farmers must purchase essential medicines at high cost. At least ensure supply of critical basic drugs to veterinary stations.

¶ 10 Hon. Minister, although indicative prices for milk and meat have been set, in practice those controlled prices are often not implemented. Please enforce them.

¶ 11 In the Northern Province, we do not have major irrigation schemes; only minor tanks and schemes. Although you have allocated funds for minor irrigation, it is insufficient to rehabilitate and develop the many small tanks in our areas. In Vavuniya District alone there are 854 tanks; about 600 are in use for cultivation, but most have not been rehabilitated for a long time. Around 150 tanks were damaged by floods some years ago; an estimate of Rs. 4,500 million has been prepared for their repair. Even if full funding is not possible immediately, please select a set number of priority tanks each year for phased rehabilitation. This will directly increase our district’s contribution to national production.

¶ 12 There are many abandoned tanks within forests; reviving them would bring substantial paddy lands into use. Allocate those lands to landless families in our district, enabling self-sufficiency and contribution to national output. As the Tirukkural says:

¶ 13 “Those who eat by the toil of their own hand Will never say ‘No’ to those who beg.”

¶ 14 By enabling landless people to cultivate with their own hands, they will neither need to beg nor refuse those who seek help. Please restore these derelict tanks and provide lands to the landless.

¶ 15 In the Department of Agrarian Development, many technical posts lie vacant. In Vavuniya District, out of an approved cadre of 209, only 119 serve—about a 45 percent vacancy. In a farming district, such gaps impede progress. Similarly, from ACAD positions to Agricultural Research Production Assistants, there are many vacancies in Vavuniya, and likewise in Mannar and Mullaitivu. A new Agrarian Service Center at Gurukal Puthukulam started a few years ago operates in a temporary RDS building under severe hardship. Please allocate funds in this Budget to construct a proper building.

¶ 16 We have nine Agrarian Service Divisions (APCs) in our district; key among them are Omanthai and Pampaimadu. Under Pampaimadu APC alone, 18,000 hectares of paddy lands exist, yet service delivery faces serious constraints. Please split these two APCs into three divisions and start a new APC at Eechchankulam. Many minor tanks there can be upgraded to medium tanks—please consider this.

¶ 17 A few district-specific requests: For the Per Aru drinking water project, 165 acres of paddy lands and 35 acres of highland were acquired 11 years ago with a promise of alternative lands and title documents, but none have been delivered despite Cabinet approval. Similarly, in Musalkutty (Cheddikulam DS Division), 250 families settled in 1977 were displaced during 1983–1990 and have now returned, forming sub-families. The Land Survey Dept. has completed surveys, yet titles have not been issued—please act.

¶ 18 In Mullaitivu District, 31 tanks and 3,371 acres of irrigated lands belonging to 973 farmers have been taken over by the Forest Department. Please release these 3,371 acres back to the people through due process; despite repeated DCC meetings, nothing has happened.

¶ 19 At Puliyamunai, 700 acres of highland cultivated by 226 farmers exist, but farmers face elephant threats and irrigation shortages. Provide elephant fences, community wells and irrigation facilities so they can cultivate peanuts, onions and other crops. Also, in the Northern Province coconut development program, please include smallholder coconut farmers.

¶ 20 In Vavuniya, Mannar and Mullaitivu, paddy faces multiple challenges: crop diseases, delayed fertilizer subsidies, and non-availability of a guaranteed price. Please address these urgently.

¶ 21 You have allocated funds for the Bimsaviya land title program; that is good. The previous Government’s “Urumaya” freehold program has been halted; please continue it under your Government and issue deeds to those without title, as land documents are demanded for everything. Thank you for the additional time.