Topic
Infrastructure
2,546 speeches · 378 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 137 |
| 2 | Hon. Kumara Jayakody, M.P. JJB | 105 |
| 3 | Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, M.P. JJB | 83 |
| 4 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 76 |
| 5 | Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 62 |
| 6 | Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, M.P. ITAK | 47 |
| 7 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 46 |
| 8 | Hon. Ajith P. Perera, M.P. SJB | 43 |
| 9 | Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena, M.P. JJB | 36 |
| 10 | Hon. Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, M.P. JJB | 34 |
Speeches
2,546 on this topic- 6 January 2026 The Hon. B. Ariyawansha SJB AI summary B. Ariyawansha asked the Minister to address poor road infrastructure around the Sinharaja World Heritage Site, noting its importance for domestic and foreign tourism through routes in Ratnapura, Matara and Galle Districts. He highlighted the deteriorated condition of the Deniyaya–Sooriyakanda road and approach roads between Rakwana, Pothupitiya and Kalawana, and requested their development. Oral Question: Sinharaja Forest World Heritage Site Protection (Q. relating to B. Ariyawansha and points of order) Read →
- 6 January 2026 The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources JJB AI summary The Minister outlined measures to address conflicts between tourism activities and fishing operations in the Arugam Bay area, including a proposed relocation of the fishing pier to Kudakalliya subject to a feasibility study funded under the 2026 Budget. He detailed related land acquisition, access road, lagoon development, dredging permit, boundary demarcation, and fish stocking activities, while noting further information-gathering for Rottai, R.M. Nagar and Komari. He also said 75,000 fishing nets worth Rs. 500 million received as Chinese grant assistance are being distributed to 12,500 fishermen in selected districts, with additional support planned through local production of boats and nets and concessional State bank financing. Oral Question: Fishermen in Pottuvil DS Division - Provision of Facilities (Q.1397/2025) Read →
- 6 January 2026 The Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Abthul Wazeeth asked the Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources whether the Ministry is aware of conflicts between fishermen and tourists on beaches in the Pottuvil Divisional Secretary’s Division arising from boat use. He sought information on proposed measures including construction of a fishing pier and fishing village at Kudakalliya, development of lagoons in Arugam Bay, Rottai, R.M. Nagar and Komari, and provision of suitable boats and fishing gear for sea and lagoon fishermen. Oral Question: Fishermen in Pottuvil DS Division - Provision of Facilities (Q.1397/2025) Read →
- 6 January 2026 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB AI summary The Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development presented the 2022 Annual Report of the State Development and Design Corporation. He moved that the report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, and the motion was agreed to. Papers: Presidential Message, Auditor-General Reports, and Annual Reports Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake AI summary Anura Kumara Dissanayake said information had been received on nearly 1,000 rehabilitation needs and that plans were prepared to address them, including temples and other religious sites with the involvement of relevant donor boards. He proposed mobilizing support from the Government, Opposition, citizens, local benefactors, and Sri Lankans overseas by allocating projects to different donor groups. He requested Parliament to approve the Supplementary Estimate of Rs. 500 billion to support the programme anticipated in the Appropriation Bill. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake AI summary Anura Kumara Dissanayake outlined government measures to restore infrastructure damaged by recent events, including temporary bridges installed by the Army and RDA and plans to make road repairs permanent, with RDA estimating Rs. 190 billion needed. He said assessments and allocations are being prepared for railways, irrigation systems, and seasonal cultivation needs, with priority repairs planned before the Yala and next Maha seasons. He also described a structured aid framework through the National Physical Planning Department to match donor contributions to specific projects such as schools, hospitals, roads, and bridges, and noted that a Rs. 25,000 cleaning allowance had been released for 861 identified religious sites. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper argued that Sri Lanka’s response to Cyclone Ditwah must be grounded in scientific data, expert analysis, and national consensus rather than ad hoc relief activity or casual public discussion. He cited estimates of extreme rainfall and potential energy to illustrate the scale of the disaster and called for scientific planning, regional cooperation, and responsible leadership to address future severe weather events. He also noted, for the record, the close approach of the interstellar object Comet 3I/ATLAS being observed internationally. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran described severe cyclone and flood damage in Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya, citing affected families, damaged homes, roads, tanks, boats, livestock and agricultural land, and said Mullaitivu remains highly vulnerable and underdeveloped despite repeated disasters. He called for 2026 allocations to fund permanent tank repairs, relocation of people from unsafe areas, rehabilitation of agricultural roads, flood and salinity-control bunds, urban drainage, and solutions for villages cut off by floods. He also demanded demarcation and clearing of riverbeds and drains, vesting of minor and abandoned tanks with relevant departments for maintenance, and questioned why tanks and riverbeds remain under the Forest Department and the Army. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake urged the Government to review and restore the disaster insurance mechanism introduced through the National Insurance Trust Fund when he was Finance Minister, saying it had previously produced significant payouts after the 2016 floods and could have provided resilience following Cyclone Ditwah. He requested permission to table related letters from the NITF and Allianz SE Reinsurance Branch, and argued that Sri Lanka should first conduct its own national damage estimates before seeking validation from bodies such as the UN or World Bank. He also called for disaster loss assessments to be made in US dollars, citing exchange-rate depreciation, and emphasized fiscal reconstruction, restoration of lost capital, macroeconomic stability, and liquidity recovery. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Hon. Ravi Karunanayake supported the Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate as a temporary measure for disaster recovery and called for coordinated efforts to rebuild the economy and affected areas. He thanked the armed forces, police, disaster management services, and citizens for their relief work, while comparing the scale of the current disaster to the 2004 tsunami. He also noted that securing the sixth IMF tranche of about US$357 million following the September review would have been particularly useful in the present circumstances. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that post-disaster rebuilding should not merely restore damaged infrastructure but add net capacity, while prioritizing spending given poverty levels and future financing pressures. He said the Government is in fact taking Rs. 374 billion in debt, urged greater use of PPPs and private participation in areas such as SriLankan Airlines and electricity infrastructure, and cautioned against relying solely on public borrowing. Referring to affected communities in Hanguranketha and surrounding areas, he called for the National Involuntary Resettlement Policy to be enacted in law to prevent forced returns and protect livelihoods. He also urged Parliament to formally establish the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” fund, citing limited market appetite for dollar bonds, potentially costly IMF borrowing, and pressure on the rupee. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development and the Leader of the House of Parliament JJB AI summary Bimal Rathnayake supported a Rs. 500 billion supplementary estimate for post-cyclone recovery, stating it would be funded domestically without new foreign borrowing and would supplement earlier emergency releases and the 2026 Budget. He outlined relief payments of Rs. 75,000 per affected household and Rs. 25,000 per schoolchild, alongside reconstruction of water schemes, schools, roads, bridges, railways and public transport infrastructure. He also announced transport and urban development measures, including additional road funding, railway repairs, online season tickets, clearing driving licence backlogs, licence services at Katunayake for returnees, SLTB bank card payments, Colombo and Mannar flood-control work, UDA modernization projects, and new road safety regulations from January 1. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen SJB AI summary Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen urged faster and more consistent disaster relief following widespread damage in several districts, stating that fishers, farmers, salt producers, small cultivators, and displaced families had suffered severe livelihood and property losses. He criticized delays and inconsistent procedures in distributing announced payments of Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 50,000, and called for Divisional Secretaries and local institutions to facilitate immediate disbursement and infrastructure repairs. He also warned against politicizing relief distribution, thanked religious groups, citizens and foreign governments for assistance, and called for proper planning, effective use of aid, stronger laws and long-term measures to prevent future disasters. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB AI summary Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha rejected claims that the Mahaweli project caused recent disaster impacts, arguing that its reservoirs provide power generation, water management and flood control, while acknowledging that landslides and some impacts required better evacuation and water management. He called for urgent attention to hospital equipment and ICU capacity, compensation delays for displaced families, and the removal of permit-related obstacles to clearing roads, canals, wells and fields. He urged ministers to delegate authority to Divisional Secretaries, Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen and village-level officials, allow farmers to remove sand and repair access using their own resources, and provide legal protection for officials. He also questioned whether the Disaster Management Committee met after receiving advance warning and said the Disaster Management Centre should be dissolved if it failed to act. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Imran Maharoof SJB AI summary Hon. Imran Maharoof expressed condolences for those affected by Cyclone “Titva” and urged the Government to provide prompt and fair relief and compensation to fishers, farmers, livestock keepers, daily wage earners and others whose livelihoods were disrupted. He questioned the basis for the Rs. 25,000 grant recipient lists in Muttur and Kinniya, arguing that all affected parties must be properly identified and assisted. He also objected to criticism of Opposition members providing relief and said excessive meetings and pressure on officials were hampering relief work. He requested urgent action to restore transport access in Telthotam and Kalaha in the Kandy District, including identifying alternative routes and addressing related health and economic issues. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Mahinda Jayasinghe - Deputy Minister of Labour JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe addressed the impact of Cyclone “Ditva,” stating that 643 people had died and 183 were missing, and outlined the Government’s relief and reconstruction response. He reported that Rs. 25,000 grants had been paid to most affected families in Gampaha and detailed increased compensation schemes for damaged houses, crops, livestock, businesses, fishing boats, school equipment, rental support, and livelihood loss. He criticized Opposition claims and conduct as politically motivated while saying the Government would accept constructive proposals, support public servants and security forces, and proceed with short-term relief followed by temporary and permanent reconstruction. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Piyathissa - Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Wasantha Piyathissa supported the Rs. 500 billion Supplementary Estimate for disaster recovery, citing UNDP data on the scale of the cyclone-related damage, including 2.3 million people affected, extensive flooding, and major losses to paddy fields and buildings. He said the Government had mobilized state institutions, security forces, local committees, and volunteers for relief work, with grants and compensation for cleaning, equipment, housing reconstruction, and land purchase already being disbursed. He rejected Opposition criticism of the response and argued that recovery funding would come through reallocating existing Treasury funds rather than borrowing, money printing, or new taxes. He also called for scientifically planned rebuilding and long-term measures to reduce risks from floods and landslides, linking the disaster to unscientific development in vulnerable areas. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Jeevan Thondaman UNP AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman tabled a civil society document on relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction for hill-country communities affected by Cyclone “Titva,” and said he had also tabled accounts for nearly Rs. 6 million in assistance provided to 2,137 families. He urged Members to avoid partisan blame over disaster relief and requested Government action over alleged neglect by officials, including the Divisional Secretary in Kotmale and some Grama Niladharis, particularly affecting Tamil estate communities. He also sought clarification of the Government’s land policy after the President’s reference to six perches per family, arguing that previous provisions had allowed seven to ten perches and that estate communities should not be disadvantaged under new circulars. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Roshan Akmeemana JJB AI summary Roshan Akmeemana described the impact of Cyclone “Dicha” and subsequent flooding in Trincomalee, noting that all 11 Divisional Secretariat divisions were affected, with Seruvila, Verugal, Muttur and Kinniya worst hit and about 30,000 people impacted. He said the flooding was mainly caused by floodwaters from the Central Highlands entering through the Mahaweli system, worsened by multiple breaches in the Mawil Aru bund and Mahaweli flood-protection embankments, but that prior evacuations prevented any casualties. He thanked the armed forces, police, civil defence, religious institutions and local communities for relief efforts, and said the supplementary estimate was intended to support recovery, restore confidence and demonstrate that the Government had a plan for rebuilding. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →
- 19 December 2025 The Hon. Chanaka Madugoda SLPP AI summary Chanaka Madugoda supported the supplementary estimate for disaster relief, noting that Parliament had convened at the Opposition’s request and commending the tri-forces, public officials, health workers and citizens for their response, particularly in Galle. He acknowledged shortcomings in early warning, preparedness and rescue capacity, and urged the Government to empower officials and avoid politicized interference in administration. He proposed stronger land-use and environmental protection laws, better enforcement of soil conservation measures, urgent agricultural support including short-duration seeds and fertilizer, assistance to damaged small rice mills, prudent planning for possible rice imports, rapid restoration of tourism sites, and action on issues at Pulmoddai mineral sands. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 240 – Programme 02 – Cyclone Disaster Relief (Rs. 500 Billion) Read →