The Hon. K. Sujith Sanjaya Perera

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I am thankful for the opportunity to express views in this debate on the Expenditure Head of a very important Ministry.

¶ 02 Hon. Minister, many important subjects fall under your Ministry. From the perspective of the farming community, you have a great responsibility. Although many ideas were presented by your Ministers participating in this debate, when we look at ground reality, agriculture has regressed. We saw how farmers recently protested about various issues. Before this Government came to power, your groups organized protests demanding a fair price for paddy in many places—this continues even today. You say you started paddy procurement and made arrangements to purchase at a proper price. But when we talk to farmers, they raise the grievance that a fair price has not reached them.

¶ 03 The same is true for other crops—especially vegetable growers: big onion, potato growers, etc. We saw them protesting in various ways recently about injustices they faced. A proper program is needed to provide solutions. I do not say you must take 100% responsibility for everything; long-standing causes have contributed to this situation. But if over the next two years you intend to uplift agriculture, there must be a long-term plan considering other croppers as well. Otherwise, many farmers will continue to leave agriculture. Surveys indicate that more than 100,000 have decided to leave, and about 10% of arable land has gone uncultivated this season. This is the prevailing situation. With such issues and marketing difficulties, we know what happens at harvest.

¶ 04 In our district, many engage in home-garden vegetable cultivation. Their biggest recent issue is damage by wild animals. When this Government came in, you intervened to conduct a large census and enumeration to minimize wild animal damage. Months have passed since, but we do not know the results, the steps taken, or how that enumeration is used to prevent damage or manage animal populations. Farmers of this country also do not know. This is a serious problem. Provide a prompt solution. Even if you supply inputs and promote cultivation, if farmers cannot farm due to wild animals or other reasons, your targets will not be met. We request immediate action to address the human-wildlife conflict.

¶ 05 I recall that, with the intervention of the Hon. State Minister, on February 15 a program called “Cultivation Drive” was launched. I saw it in the media. We do not know what followed. Like the animal census, you publicized starts but no follow-through plan is visible.

¶ 06 I must also raise an issue about officers in the agriculture sector. The travel allowance for Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (KPN officers) was Rs. 400, which Cabinet decided in 2024 to increase to Rs. 1,000. That Rs. 1,000 was paid up to last month, but then a decision was taken to recover it, saying it was unlawful and wrongly paid. This is very serious. That allowance was paid for their service; they cannot afford to pay it back. Please reverse that decision and continue the Rs. 1,000 as per Cabinet.

¶ 07 Hon. Minister, people face many difficulties obtaining certified copies from Land Registries. Though you have introduced a one-day service for Rs. 600, in practice documents do not arrive the same day—often 1-2 days; the normal service can take over a month. There are complaints of irregularities. Please streamline and digitize to deliver quickly and free of malpractice.

¶ 08 On irrigation, the Yatiyantota reservoir proposal dates back to the good governance period, around 2017, with surveys started. About eight years have passed; roughly 25 families were relocated and remain uncertain whether the project will proceed. For eight years they have been unable to develop their lands—many depend on tea and rubber. If the project will proceed and they will be moved, at minimum, implement the compensation process now, or provide alternative lands equivalent to what they will lose—such as from Nagasthenna and Kandalella estates belonging to the Janatha Estates Development Board—as the people propose. If you intend to proceed, do not delay years more; urgently provide compensation or alternative lands.

¶ 09 Thank you.