Examination system for recruitment to all-island services to be streamlined

Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs, Karu JayasuriyaCabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs, Karu Jayasuriya, to hold a common examination once a year to recruit personnel to all island services such as the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, Sri Lanka Accountants' Service, Sri Lanka Engineering Service, Sri Lanka Scientific Service, Sri Lanka Education Administrative Service, Sri Lanka Planning Service, Sri Lanka Agriculture Service, Sri Lanka Animal Production and Health Service, Sri Lanka Architects' Service and Sri Lanka Surveyors' Service.

A study on the current situation has revealed, the minister stated in the memorandum, that there are numerous advantages to be obtained by re-organizing the system of examinations including curbing additional costs.
Accordingly a common examination notice will be published in the Gazette with respect to holding an examination for recruitment to all these services. The skills shown by candidates at this examination will be treated as the basic qualification for recruitment.

It is envisaged that this procedure will help cut expenses by 40%, with the preparation of only 19 question papers as opposed to the current 39, decrease the personal expenses borne by candidates, create a healthy atmosphere for new graduates to apply for the examination immediately after passing out from universities, enable examinations to be held within a specific period each calendar year, facilitate the candidates, on their option, to apply for several services at once, and facilitate the organization of induction training ensuring integrity and mutual understanding among newly recruited officers.

Plantation Industries Ministry to acquire lands for Coconut Cultivation Board

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Plantation Industries, D.M. Jayaratne to acquire free of charge and under provisions in the Land Reforms Commission Act lands amounting an extent of 2904 acres, 02 roods and 32.7 perches which are in the possession of and have been developed by the Coconut Cultivation Board (CCB) for a long period of time for this CCB.

In this regard it was noted that the said lands have been transferred by the Land Reform Commission to the CCB in the period 197901983 with the intention of transferring them into model gardens and nurseries. Approximately Rs. 100 million have been invested by the CCB for buildings and construction, irrigation works and coconut under-planting and new planting.

Medium scale reservoir system to resolve problems in the Nilwala Ganga Scheme

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Irrigation and Water Management, Chamal Rajapaksa, to construct medium-scale flood-detention reservoirs at Digili Oya, Batuwita, Samarandeniya, Aparekka Ara and Kadukanna to mitigate the threat of floods in unprotected areas and possible high costs of operating pump stations in such an eventuality.

It is envisaged that these measures would help keep possible floods in the protected area at a minimum level, assure irrigated water during dry spells and enable the supplying of water for the Matara urban areas from the Nilwala Ganga during dry spells and increase hydropower potential by commissioning a small scale power plant at the Digili Oya reservoir.

Accordingly, Cabinet granted approval for the release of funds amounting to Rs. 2850 million to be disbursed in installments from 2009-2013.

CECB to handle proposed Tele City project

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Mass Media and Information, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, to hand over the creation, construction and supervision work pertaining to the proposed Tele City to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) deviating from tender procedure.

Cabinet also approved a proposal to allocate a site in extent of 135 acres in addition to the 100 acres allocated for the project as per Cabinet Memorandum No 05/25/2008 dated 11.06.2008 and to utilize funds derived from the levy imposed on imported tele-dramas, films and foreign commercial programmes for this purpose.

The decision to deviate from tender procedures was reached in view of certain difficulties anticipated in achieving project targets and extra costs that would have to be incurred.

Abandoned coastal lands to be reclaimed

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Irrigation and Water Management, Chamal Rajapaksa, to provide Rs. 145 million over the next two years to implement projects to reclaim 8,409 acres of 14,5000 acres of paddy lands in flood protection and salt water exclusion schemes maintained by the Department of Irrigation that are presently abandoned in the coastal areas of Kelani Ganga, Benthara Ganga, Gin Ganga and Nilwala Ganga basins.

Net metering facility' to help customers install renewable energy to supplement existing electricity supply

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Power and Energy, W.D.J. Seneviratne, to authorize the Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Lanka Electricity Company (LECO) to offer an 'Energy Banking Facility' for small scale generating units, commonly referred to as 'Net Metering Facilities'.

It is envisaged that this would help relieve the heavy burden on the national grid and help reach the policy target of securing 10% of grid connected electricity supply through renewable energy by the year 2015.

This would, the memorandum argued, help create enabling environments to generate electricity from sources such as small-hydro, biomass (Dendro), agricultural, industrial and municipal waste, heat recovery and wave energy etc.

Greater Ratnapura Water Supply Scheme

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, A.L.M. Athaullah to implement the Greater Ratnapura Water Supply Scheme and accordingly direct the External Resources Department (ERD) to seek funding from the Government of Spain or any other suitable source for the same.

Cabinet also agreed to direct the Department of Public Finance to appoint a Project Committee and to appoint a negotiation committee to evaluate and negotiate the project proposal submitted by BEFESA AGUA of Spain.

The project, which will cost Rs 3548 million plus local charges, VAT etc amounting to Rs. 1284 million, will include the construction of facilities at Induruella, Kaludiyaella and Kuru Ganga to take 26000 cubic meters of water per day, the construction of a plant at Induruella to treat 21000 cubic meters per day and the doubling the capacity of the existing treatment from 6500 to 13000 cubic meters per day. It also includes the construction of a 3 km long raw water gravity main and 1 km pumping main, construction of distribution lines and construction of ground reservoirs with capacities of 1000, 1600 and 2500 cubic meters.

Construction of Pilgrims' Rest at Sanchi for the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Society

Cabinet granted approval to a memorandum submitted by the Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, Dinesh Gunawardena, to approve the total SLF 67 million to cover costs of construction of a pilgrim's rest in Sanchi, Bhopal, India for the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Society and SLR 41.2 to be paid to the National Physical Planning Department for the year 2008 by the General Treasury to complete the project.

The minister pointed out in the memorandum that construction commenced in April 2008 as per a Memorandum of Understanding signed in August 2007 between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka to obtain the services of the Public Works Department of Madhya Pradesh for this purpose and that it is expected to be completed in time for the exposition of the Holy Relics of Arahat Sariyuth and Arahat Mugalan on November 26, 2008.