The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure
The Minister rejected claims that trade unions had undermined the plantation collective agreement, stating that negotiations with employers were continuing to secure a livable income for workers and that the government would take necessary measures. He highlighted increases in education and welfare allowances, including Mahapola, student stipends, Grade 5 scholarship support, vocational training payments, and assistance for low-income and vulnerable children. He also noted expanded fertilizer support, including raising the general subsidy to Rs. 25,000 and providing coconut fertilizer at a reduced price following a 55,000 MT shipment.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 If anyone claims unions scuttled the collective agreement, that is false. Though collective bargaining faced hurdles, we are continuing talks with employers to ensure a livable income for workers, and will take necessary government measures. Give us time; the people understand.
¶ 02 We refocused on children: we increased Mahapola from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,500; raised student allowances from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 6,500; Grade 5 scholarship support from Rs. 750 to Rs. 1,500; vocational training stipend from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 5,000; Rs. 6,000 for low-income students; Rs. 5,000 for children in institutional care and street children.
¶ 03 On production: you left the country without fertilizer; now we raised the fertilizer subsidy from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000. The coconut sector had no fertilizer for five years; now, thanks to a shipment of 55,000 MT, we provided coconut fertilizer to farmers at Rs. 4,000 per 50-kg bag instead of Rs. 9,500.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Thursday, 9 October 2025 ·No. 22973 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna - Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 9 October 2025. No. 22973. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/7651