Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to set up a grant scheme for English learners under the 'English as a Life Skill' Programm.

Accordingly Rs. 10,000 will be granted to students from Samurdhi families and Rs. 6,000 to those from non-Samurdhi families. The number of beneficiaries will be proportional to the total number of Samurdhi families in the country and accordingly 50,000 students will be selected and trained over a period of three years.

A total of Rs. 46 million will be allocated by the Treasury to implement this scheme in 2008 and further allocations of Rs. 62 million and Rs. 84 million will be made for 2009 and 2010 respectively. The programme is to be coordinated by the Presidential Secretariat until an appropriate institutional framework is put in place.

Enactment of enabling legislation to give effect to the International Convention for the Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rohitha Bogollagama to present a draft bill in parliament to enact enabling legislation to give effect to the International Convention for the Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism.

The Convention is expected to bolster the global legal framework to counter terrorist threats and is said to be a key part of global efforts to prevent terrorists from getting access to weapons of mass destruction, the use of which could lead to catastrophic consequences.

Provision of solar power to rural areas

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Local Government and Provincial Councils, Janaka Bandara Tennekoon to accept the project proposal of BP Solar Pty. Ltd of Australia for the provision of solar power to rural institutions in the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Northern and Eastern Provinces.

The total cost of the project will be US $ 18,703,000. The Director General of External Resources will accordingly be tasked to negotiate with the Australian Government's Export Agency, the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation, to obtain and use funds for the implementation of this turnkey project.

Importation of copra to produce coconut oil

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Plantation Industries, D.M. Jayaratne to import 45,000 Mt of copra from countries recommended by the Coconut Research Institute in compliance with the Quarantine Act.

The importation of copra will end on December 31, 2008 and potential importers will be duly notified through the media and issued import permits, under the supervision of the Coconut Development Authority, which is empowered to cease and handle all activities of importation if the price of 1 kg of coconut oil declines below Rs. 150.

Anusha Palpita
Director of Government Information