Topic
Land & Housing
1,053 speeches · 220 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. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 106 |
| 2 | Hon. Anura Karunathilaka, M.P. JJB | 43 |
| 3 | Hon. Aravinda Senarath, M.P. JJB | 39 |
| 4 | Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, M.P. ITAK | 26 |
| 5 | Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna, M.P. JJB | 24 |
| 6 | Hon. Jeevan Thondaman, M.P. UNP | 22 |
| 7 | Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, M.P. JJB | 22 |
| 8 | Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan, M.P. ITAK | 20 |
| 9 | Hon. Mano Ganesan, M.P. SJB | 18 |
| 10 | Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran, M.P. ITAK | 18 |
Speeches
1,053 on this topic- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka urged the Government to expedite pending land-sector reforms, including amendments to the Land Acquisition Act and Registration of Title Act, completion of the Land Use Policy Planning Act, and formulation of a National Land Policy through the National Land Commission envisaged under the 13th Amendment. He also raised concerns over stalled development projects, noting partial funding for some expressway sections but unresolved issues in other road and rail projects. He asked the Government to decide whether to proceed with these projects, and either pay compensation promptly to affected landowners or return acquired lands. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam welcomed allocations for agriculture-related services, including market access, but requested cold storage facilities at the Vavuniya Economic Center and phased rehabilitation of minor irrigation tanks in Vavuniya, where many tanks are damaged or abandoned. He urged transparent consultations on the Kivul Oya project, citing concerns that it could submerge lands and village tanks of longstanding Tamil residents and lead to conflict. He also called for expanded support to dairy farmers nationwide, including veterinary staff, transport, essential medicines, and enforcement of indicative prices for milk and meat. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha JJB AI summary Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha said the debate on the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation should reflect the Ministry’s full mandate, not only issues such as fertilizer shortages and crop prices. He listed the departments, boards, companies, research bodies, land and survey institutions, livestock entities, irrigation projects and related authorities under the Ministry, highlighting areas such as export agriculture, cinnamon development, agrarian insurance, post-harvest management and major irrigation schemes. He urged Members on both sides to consider this broad institutional and policy scope when discussing the Ministry’s allocations. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Dayasiri Jayasekara noted that Land Commissioners have been assigned to the provinces and said there is confusion in some cases. He stated that both sides agree the matter requires attention. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary The Minister supported the proposal to appoint a task-oriented working group to expedite the issuance of land deeds. He said deeds already signed by the former President would be issued, while pending cases would be addressed by obtaining letters and consent from co-residents, with a plan to complete the process within six months. He also undertook to review the relevant circular and amend it if it conflicts with the Cabinet decision, noting points raised by Hon. Ajith P. Perera and Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary The Minister stated that the Government agrees in principle with Hon. Ajith P. Perera’s four proposals and will examine whether the circular deviated from the Cabinet decision, noting that any inconsistency would be corrected. He distinguished the new “Gihimikama” deed programme from the former “Urumaya” scheme, saying it requires consent from other household members and is intended to prevent unnecessary land fragmentation while enabling proper transfer of ownership. He said eligibility under the current programme is based on permits issued under the Land Development Ordinance as at the Cabinet approval date of 21 July 2025, with permits issued afterward to be handled separately if necessary. He added that previously signed approvals under the former administration would be honoured and that the Government’s objective is to issue deeds to long-waiting occupants of state land. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Aravinda Senarath stated that the Government intends to issue the highest number of “Himikam” deeds in the coming year. He acknowledged the adjournment motion as democratic and said some concerns raised by the Member warrant consideration, while affirming that the Government is taking steps to deliver land deeds to the public. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Hon. Aravinda Senarath said the former Government’s “Urumaya” deed proposal was an election-oriented and insufficiently studied pledge, whereas the current Government is pursuing a structured process to identify permit holders, regularize transfers and grant freehold titles where appropriate. He stated that about 49,402 deeds have already been issued through the Land Commissioner General’s Department and Mahaweli, with prepared deeds sent to District Secretariats for distribution. He emphasized the need for verification due to irregular permits, politically influenced land allocations and encroachments on protected or reserved lands, and said the “Gihimikama” programme uses field inspections before granting ownership. He said the Government aims to accelerate the process and issue the highest number of titles by 2026. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary Aravinda Senarath said the adjournment motion concerns long-standing public demands for secure land ownership and problems in the issuance of deeds. He noted that deed distribution has been a recurring public grievance for decades and has often been politicized during election periods. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara supported the adjournment motion and argued that the Lands Commissioner General’s Circular imposes numerous restrictions that would significantly limit the conversion of permits and grants into freehold title, contrary to the relevant Committee Report. He cited figures showing over 142,000 permits and grants submitted for conversion through the Lands Commissioner General and the Mahaweli Authority, and said evidence suggests very few recipients sell their lands after receiving deeds. He requested that the Circular be reviewed and aligned with the Committee recommendations, and asked the Minister to clarify the practical process for issuing freehold grants to people who have been waiting for nearly two years. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB AI summary Ajith P. Perera urged the Minister to issue 23,018 deeds using the existing signature, stating that the credit would accrue to the Minister and the President. He expressed hope for a positive response from the Minister. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 26 November 2025 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB AI summary Hon. Ajith P. Perera moved an adjournment motion urging the Government to implement the “Himikama” freehold deed programme in line with the Cabinet-approved Review Committee Report of 21 July 2025, amend Lands Commissioner General’s Circular No. 2025/02, and appoint a Special Task Force to expedite the process. He argued that long-term occupants of State lands under the Land Development Ordinance face economic and legal constraints because they lack absolute title, including difficulties in subdivision, sale, and mortgaging. He also requested immediate distribution of 23,018 freehold deeds prepared under the previous “Urumaya” programme, while clarifying that the proposal applies only to lawfully occupied and developed permit lands, not protected or essential State lands. Adjournment Debate: Grant of Freehold Deeds to Occupants of State Lands Read →
- 25 November 2025 The Hon. Waruna Liyanage SJB AI summary Hon. Waruna Liyanage raised education and vocational training issues affecting Ratnapura and plantation communities, including concerns over closing schools with fewer than 50 students where transport access is limited despite proposed free buses. He requested measures to protect Grade 1 admissions for families without land deeds due to LRC disputes, light regulation of international schools, fee waivers for VTA students in low-income districts, Cabinet approval to recruit 53 over-age VTA candidates affected by delays, and higher NAITA trainee allowances. He also called for an A/L Tamil-medium stream in Ratnapura and a Tamil administrative structure with a Tamil Director in Sabaragamuwa. Debate: Committee Stage on Appropriation Bill 2026 - Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education (Fifteenth Allotted Day) Read →
- 25 November 2025 The Hon. Gnanamuththu Srineshan ITAK AI summary Hon. Gnanamuththu Srineshan urged the Education Ministry to strengthen pre-school education by standardizing provision and improving poorly paid teachers’ conditions, and called for vocational skills to be integrated into schooling so students leave with employable abilities. He highlighted shortages of science, mathematics and ICT teachers in rural and hardship-area schools, requesting equitable resource allocation compared with urban National Schools. He also sought upgrades to the Manchanthoduvai Technical College to offer NVQ 5 and 6 programmes, land for the expansion of Meelad Tamil School in Dehiwala, and reconstruction support for a released school site and associated housing in Murakkettanchenei. Debate: Committee Stage on Appropriation Bill 2026 - Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education (Fifteenth Allotted Day) Read →
- 24 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi - Minister of Environment JJB AI summary The Minister explained that sanctuary declarations, including the Seruwila–Allai Sanctuary gazetted in 1970, do not change land ownership but require Wildlife Department approval for any development or alteration within the area. He acknowledged unresolved land issues in war-affected areas, including possible errors from GPS-based demarcation, and noted earlier efforts to identify lands for release. He said a Cabinet decision on 25 August 2025 led to a special inter-ministerial committee and district-level subcommittees to address these matters, and urged affected parties to present their cases through those forums. Adjournment Motion: Land Issues in Verugal DS Division, Trincomalee Read →
- 24 November 2025 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran supported the Adjournment Motion on alleged land acquisitions by the Wildlife Department in Verugal, stating that Wildlife and Forest Department claims together exceed the total land area of Verugal and include inhabited areas with public facilities and religious sites. He cited specific gazettes and acreage figures, questioned the basis and competence of these claims, and extended the concern to Mullaitivu, referring to multiple sanctuaries, reserves, a proposed Marine Protected Area, and cases filed against farmers. He urged the Government and the Deputy Minister to release lands taken from people in the North and East. Adjournment Motion: Land Issues in Verugal DS Division, Trincomalee Read →
- 24 November 2025 The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra said land issues in Trincomalee stem from forest and related gazettements dating from around 1970, including later “proposed forest” classifications, and affect all 11 Divisional Secretariat divisions in the district. He stated that, following a 2024 committee report, Cabinet Paper No. 25/1560/826/020 of 25 August 2025 appointed a multi-agency sub-committee covering relevant departments, district officials, provincial land authorities and other land-related institutions to propose a permanent solution within six months. He added that no new lands had been taken under the current administration and that land releases from forest and wildlife holdings had begun in areas including Trincomalee, Kuchchaveli and Muttur. Adjournment Motion: Land Issues in Verugal DS Division, Trincomalee Read →
- 24 November 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary M. Nizam Kariapper briefly noted the “16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence,” stating that awareness should include male victims and online abuse. Addressing the Adjournment Motion, he raised concerns that State agencies, including Wildlife, Coast Conservation and Archaeology, had previously been used to acquire lands in the North and East in ways affecting Tamil-speaking communities. He cited land issues in Trincomalee, including Verugal, Valaimadu and Panichchankulam, and welcomed the Government’s proposed committee on North and East land issues while requesting a mechanism for MPs to submit views and receive updates. He urged that conservation objectives be pursued objectively without taking people’s paddy or residential lands, and asked that Opposition Tamil-speaking MPs from the North and East be included in the committee process. Adjournment Motion: Land Issues in Verugal DS Division, Trincomalee Read →
- 24 November 2025 The Hon. Anton Jayakody - Deputy Minister of Environment JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister responded to concerns about lands in Verugal DS Division within the Seruwila–Allai Sanctuary, noting that the sanctuary was gazetted in 1970 and that private titleholders retain their rights despite sanctuary status. He acknowledged difficulties involving state lands and said similar issues affect the North, East, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura due to sanctuary and reserve designations. He stated that a Cabinet-approved committee under Sustainable Forest Management is reviewing affected lands, boundary demarcation, long-standing occupation and lawful entitlement, with a view to recommending de-gazetting or release where appropriate. He assured that farmers, residents, public institutions, places of worship and schools with long-standing use or lawful rights in Trincomalee, including Seruwila–Allai, would not be unjustly affected. Adjournment Motion: Land Issues in Verugal DS Division, Trincomalee Read →
- 24 November 2025 The Hon. Imran Maharoof SJB AI summary Hon. Imran Maharoof supported the Adjournment Motion on land acquisition issues in Verugal, noting that most of the division’s 32,042 acres are claimed by the Wildlife Department or other agencies, creating boundary overlaps that affect residents and public institutions. He said these claims have stalled development projects, prevented implementation of coordinating committee decisions, and restricted the effective use of government allocations. He requested the relevant Ministry and the Government to resolve the issue, citing Verugal’s past hardships from war and floods, and formally seconded the Motion. Adjournment Motion: Land Issues in Verugal DS Division, Trincomalee Read →