22.2.2008
Uma Oya Multipurpose
Development Project
Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by
Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister of Irrigation and Water Management,
for the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project, which
is one of the priority items in the water and power sector
in the Mahinda Chintanaya- 10 Year Development Framework
Accordingly, a project director will be appointed and
a project office will be opened in Colombo. A National
Steering Committee with representation from the relevant
Ministries/Institutions will be appointed for this project.
The work includes 2 dams across Uma Oya and a tributary
at Welimada, a 23 km long trans-basin diversion tunnel,
90 MW hydropower plant with an annual energy output of
312 GWH and diversion of approximately 150 MCM of water
to irrigate about 5000 ha in the Hambantota and Moneragala
districts and other downstream benefits.
Industries to be set up in regional industrial estates
and other state lands
Cabinet
granted approval to a memorandum submitted by Kumara Welgama,
Minister of Industrial Development, for the allocation
of land blocks to set up industries from regional industrial
estates and other state lands.
Under the regional industrialization strategy of the present
Government, investors are encouraged to set up industries
in the rural areas. However, lack of suitable lands with
adequate infrastructure facilities has become the major
constraint to attract investment into the regions. As
a remedy the Ministry is implementing a project to set
up several Small and Medium Industrial Estates in different
parts of the Island.
So far 18 Regional Industrial Estates have been established
under this programme and most of the land plots are now
occupied. Further, construction of four Industrial Estates
in Puttalam, Buttala, Trincomalee and Galigamuwa are now
under way. Initial work has been commenced to set up three
more industrial Estates at Matugama, Embilipitiya, and
Millewa.
Several proposals received recently requesting blocks
of land from Industrial Estates namely Kalutara, Templeburg
(Homagama), Nalanda (Matale) , Ulapane , Lakshauyana (Polonnaniwa),
were evaluated and it was found that 16 of them are suitable
to be allocated blocks of land from the said Industrial
Estates and state land (Kandakkuwatta) at Bingiriya.
Direct employment opportunities anticipated by these 16
proposals are 989 with a total investment of Rs356.5mn.
The Domestic Industries Approval Committee appointed as
per Cabinet Decision dated 08.03.2006 has granted approval
to allocate blocks of land from the state lands/ industrial
estates as stated in Annex II, to set up six new industries
under "Gamata Karmantha" 300 Industries Programme.
Direct employment opportunities anticipated from these
06 projects are 1,304 with a total investment of Rs.472
mn.
The lands will be allocated under the "50 Year Term
Lease" scheme at rentals to be determined by the
Government Chief Valuer subject to the condition that
the allotees should agree to abide by the rules and regulations
stipulated by any relevant Government Agency, the Ministry
of Industrial Development and I or any other agency authorized
by the Ministry with regard to the respective Industrial
Estate/State Land, where the block of land has been allocated
to each investor / company.
Meanwhile the Government has the power to withdraw the
block of land so allocated and cancel the Lease Agreement
if no meaningful action is taken by the respective allottee
to set up the industry within the stipulated period of
six months from the date of such allocation.
Enactment of "National
Thoroughfares Bill" (NTB)
Cabinet
granted approval to a memorandum submitted by Jeyaraj
Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways and Road Development,
to present the draft bill for the "National Thoroughfares
Act" (NTA).
The Thoroughfares Ordinance enacted in 1861 is the principal
enactment relating to the planning, designing, construction,
maintenance, improvement and protection of all roads designated
as Public Thoroughfares. It was found out that with the
rapid changes in the country's economic and social life
style that has taken place during the past few decades,
the provisions in the Thoroughfares Ordinance are inadequate
to meet the present day needs of the road infrastructure
and for its administration.
Occupational Safety and
Health Law
Cabinet
granted approval to a memorandum submitted by Hon. Athauda
Seneviratne, Minister of Labour Relations and Man Power,
to refer the proposed Occupational Safety and Health Law
to the Legal Draftsman without referring to the National
Labour Advisory Council once again.
Both Employer and Trade Union Members and other stakeholders
of the National Labour Advisory Council were involved
throughout the process of the drafting the said law, and
the nominees of the Trade Unions and the Employers were
members of the sub-committee appointed to supervise and
monitor the drafting of the proposed law.
Amendment to the tea,
rubber and Coconut Estates (Control of fragmentation)
Act
Cabinet
granted approval to a memorandum submitted by D.M. Jayaratne,
Minister of Plantation Industries, for the Amendment to
the Tea, Rubber and Coconut Estates (Control of fragmentation)
Act.
Under
the provisions of Tea, Rubber and Coconut Estates (Control
of Fragmentation) Act NO.02 of 1958 amended by the Act
No:20 of2005, approval of the Board appointed under the
said Act should be obtained for transferring of the ownership
of the coconut land of more than 4 hectares as a single
unit or subdivisions.
The
above provisions have been made in the Act owing to the
decline in the coconut production of the country and the
unfavorable impact on the coconut related industry due
to the fragmentation of coconut lands. Since approval
of the Board should be obtained for fragmentation of coconut
land of more than 4 hectares under current provisions,
fragmentation of such lands is restricted to some extent.
However, 96% of the total coconut lands in extent of 3,
94,836 hectares are less than 4 hectares.
It is apparent that coconut lands up to 4 hectares are
subject to further fragmentation. In this context, it
is intimated to make proposal in the Budget 2008 that
it is opportune to suspend the fragmentation of coconut
lands of more than 5 acres and thereby, to make legal
provisions.
Formulation
and Usage of Alternative Fuels in Sri Lanka
Cabinet
has granted approval to a memorandum submitted by H.M.Fowzie,
Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development,
for the formulation and usage of alternative fuels in
Sri Lanka.
A
Project Committee was formed by this Ministry comprising
officers from the Ministry of Petroleum and Petroleum
Resources Development, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Public
Utility Commission of Sri Lanka, Central Environment Authority
and Automobile Association of Sri Lanka in order to develop
guidelines for the formulation and usage of alternative
fuels in Sri Lanka. This Committee obtained the assistance
of officials from relevant institutions for developing
the guidelines.
The
selection of an agency to issue licenses for the potential
investors should be determined after the receipt of the
recommendations of the Project Committee. The Project
Committee was of the view that drafting of regulations
in respect of formulation and usage of alternative fuels
should be undertaken by the agency authorized to issue
licenses. Therefore the committee confined only to develop
policy guidelines to be implemented for the formulation
and usage of alternative fuels in Sri Lanka.
ADB
Funded Tsunami Affecte1d Areas Rebuilding Project (TAARP)
- Civil Works Contract NCB/ NRC5 (Potuvil - Panama Road
0 - 17.8 Km)
Cabinet
granted approval to a memorandum submitted by Jeyaraj
Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways and Road Development,
to award of contract NCB/NRC 5 Potuvil - Panama Road (0
- 17.8 km) in the Tsunami Affected Areas Rebuilding Project
to the lowest evaluated bidder, M/s Consulting Engineers
and Contractors (Pvt) Ltd.
The
contract sum is Rs 694,568,705.80 excluding V A T subject
to the bidder fulfilling deficiencies under personnel
and equipment.
The
Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has received a Loan No
2\67 SRI (SF) and a Grant No 0006 SRI (SF), from the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) towards the Tsunami Affected Area
Rebuilding Project (T AARP).
The
main objective of the project is to improve the living
conditions and well being of a significant number of people
in the tsunami affected areas by restoring basic infrastructure,
community and public services and livelihoods.
GOSL
intends to use a part of this financing to road rehabilitation
under Component C of the Project. Under this component
it is envisaged to rehabilitate approximately 650 km of
National Highways, and rehabilitate/ reconstruct identified
bridges therein, in the Northern, Eastern and Southern
Provinces. The procurement of civil works was originally
intended to be done through eight (08) contracts consisting
of four (04) contracts through International Competitive
Bidding and four (04) contracts through National Competitive
Bidding. Now the procurement is intended to be done through
ten (10) contracts consisting of two (02) contracts through
International Competitive Bidding and eight (08) contracts
through National Competitive Bidding.
Anusha Palpita
Director of Government Information
Courtesy
- Government Information