Providing underutilised lands/properties to suitable investors for optimal utilisation
Having identified the suitability of underutilised lands owned by the Government, the provision of Rs. 250 million has been allocated from the 2025 Budget for the initial work of drawing private investments, including small- and medium-scale investments. Accordingly, a joint proposal has been prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation with the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Facilities. According to the said proposal, clear, underutilised lands/properties are expected to be provided for investment opportunities in the sectors of plantation and agricultural purposes, plantation-related tourism promotional activities, livestock development, water-based electricity generation, the freshwater fishing industry, and plantation-related economic innovation activities. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposals presented by the Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Facilities to implement further activities in respect of the proposed project.
Declaration of part of the Nikakadupola Canal, home to the rare Bandula Pethiya fish, as a sanctuary
The Bandula Pethiya fish, identified in 1991, is a rare and critically endangered fish species endemic to Sri Lanka. According to recent estimates, it is believed that numerically only 300 or less than that are currently living. It has been identified that this special type of fish species is found only in an area of about 2.5 kilometres (km) in the canal flowing from Ram Bidigala to Hapugoda in the Galapitamada area in the Divisional Secretariat (DS) of Warakapola in the Kegalle District. As there are paddy cultivations that use chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals adjacent to this canal, it has been observed that living in a canal where so many human activities are carried out, is a severe threat to the future survival of this fish species that is included in the Red Data List. Therefore, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Environment to declare an area of 2.5 km identified in the canal flowing from Ram Bidigala to Hapugoda in the Galapitamada area, 15 metres on each side from the centre line of the stream, as the Nikakadupola Sanctuary.
Project to set up permanent households for displaced families due to the conflict situation that prevailed in the Northern and Eastern Provinces
Due to the conflict situation that prevailed for 30 years in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, a large number of houses belonging to families that lived in those areas were devastated. In the Northern and Eastern Provinces, 914,722 individuals from 274,728 families have been resettled and 150,488 households in eight Districts in the Northern and Eastern Provinces have been allocated to them by the end of last year (2024). The Government of Sri Lanka, the Government of India, and non-governmental organisations have financed to construct these new houses. It has been identified that 16,759 more houses should be constructed in eight Districts within the Northern and Eastern Provinces for the core families displaced before 2009. At the initiation of this project, it has been decided that Rs. 1,100,000 will be spent over the construction of a house of 550 square feet while Rs. 650,000 will be spent for the construction of a house of 340 square feet. However, according to the current prices of building construction materials, the estimated cost for the construction of a house of 550 square feet is Rs. 1,600,000 and for the construction of a house of 340 square feet, it is Rs. 950,000. Accordingly, the Cabinet granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing to increase the financial grant provided by the Government to the beneficiary for the house construction project based on construction as follows with effect from this year (2025): Increase the grant provided by the Government up to Rs. 1,500,000 for the construction of a house of 550 square feet, and Increase the grant provided by the Government up to Rs. 900,000 for the construction of a house of 340 square feet.
Appointment of a committee to review the draft Employees Act
There are approximately 50 labour laws approved by the Constitution from 1923 up to date and it has been identified that the provisions in most of them should be updated to cater to the current socio-economic scenario and the work world. Accordingly, a draft Bill has been prepared by the Legal Draftsman for formulating an Employment Act by studying 13 Acts already in operation. The Cabinet granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Labour to appoint a committee representing all the relevant stakeholders under the chairpersonship of the Secretary to the Ministry of Labour to further consider and identify the revisions to be further done through obtaining employer-employee trade unions views, according to the Government policies.
Introduction of a new Apartment Ownership (Special Provisions) Act
The documents required for registering a condominium plan on condominium properties belonging to the Government or Government related agencies have been mentioned in the Apartment Ownership Act, No. 11 of 1973 as amended by Acts, No. 39 of 2003 and No. 45 of 1982. A concessionary period has been granted to carry out the registration process through a convenient and simple methodology across the new laws of the Apartment Ownership (Special Provisions) Acts, Nos. 04, 27 and 23 of 1999, 2002, and 2018, respectively. Accordingly, the valid period of the last empowered Apartment Ownership (Special Provisions) Act, No. 23 of 2018 has ended on 14 August2023. Therefore, policy approval of the Cabinet was granted at their meeting held on 3 March to formulate a new Act including provisions of that Act. Therefore, approval of the Cabinet was granted to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing to obtain policy approval of the current Cabinet to proceed with the formulation of the said Act.
Draft Mediation (Civil and Commercial Disputes) Act
The Commercial Mediation Centre Act, No. 44 of 2000, especially prepared for the establishment of a commercial mediation centre, could not be executed due to certain technical reasons and restrictions. Therefore, the Cabinet has granted approval on 5 December 2022 for repealing the relevant Act, including minimal standards on maintaining the commercial mediation and providing provisions required to empower mediation solutions by the Judiciary, subject to accomplishing the relevant rules. The current Cabinet has also given their policy approval in regard to this on 9 February 2025. Accordingly, the Cabinet granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to publish the draft Mediation (Civil and Commercial Disputes) Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen in the Government gazette notification and subsequently submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Appointment of a task force to revive the pig industry which has collapsed due to the African swine fever
The African swine fever, a highly pathogenic epidemic disease reported in October 2024, first started in the Western Province and has now spread to all the Provinces. There is a possibility of increasing the mortality rate up to 100% in a farm infected with this disease. According to the data reported so far, the disease has been reported from 1,594 pig farms, and 61,695 pigs have died. Further, the Department of Wildlife Conservation has reported that the disease has infected wild boars in the forest, and that a large number of wild boars have also died. The risk of the resumption of pig farms has become very risky due to the lack of scientific information about the spread of the disease and the circulation of the pathogen virus in the environment. Therefore, the Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to appoint a task force comprising the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and the Senior Additional Secretary to the President (Development Administration) as the co-chairpersons and representatives of other relevant parties to take necessary steps for the revival of the pig industry.