Revising the existing estate housing scheme for providing more secure residences for the entire estate community.
“The estate housing scheme” for the construction of new houses instead of line rooms for the estate community has been implemented across various methodologies from the year 2000 to date. By now two projects namely a house of 550 square feet with the sole land ownership for 7 perches with the sponsorship of the State and a house of 550 square feet with the partnership of the governments of India and Sri Lanka are being implemented. The approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted to the resolution tabled by the Prime Minister as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing for taking necessary steps as follows subject to adhere to one general methodology when allocating houses for the estate community since an anomaly has been created due to the difference of the procedure followed at awarding houses under these schemes and to take actions appearing below.
- Construction of new houses in the same venue replacing the existing line houses.
- Implementing the housing schemes in respective venues if there are disaster risks of such as landslides or the space where the line houses are in is insufficient.
- Construction of the first phase of the house spending Rs. 1.3 million with square feet of 550 so that it could be developed up to two stories in the future.
- Allocate 03 more perches for each beneficiary for animal husbandry and home gardening apart from the initial allocation.
- Claim only 50% of the value of the construction cost as a pay back from the beneficiaries and providing 20 years period for recovering the same.
Providing necessary facilities as transitional residences at a respective place in the close proximity to the site until new houses are constructed in the place where line houses are situated.
Amendment of the Coconut Development Act to combine all government institutions regulating the coconut sector in Sri Lanka
An amendment to the Coconut Development Act has been mooted by the government to merge the Coconut Cultivation Board, The Coconut Development Authority, Coconut Research Institute and the Kapruka fund management Board to be operated as one entity.
A Cabinet proposal in this regards states though the aforementioned institutions have been set up to regulate the coconut sector and coordinate all related activities, thus far these institutions have failed to provide the required level of services due to lack of coordination. Hence this decision has been taken to make the regulation of the coconut sector more efficient.
Accordingly the cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by Minister of Plantation to amend the Coconut Development Act No. 46 of 1971 to allow the establishment of a new institution called” Coconut Cultivation and Allied Industries Development Authority” by integrating these institutions.
Construction of an Elevated Expressway to Kelaniya Bridge via Rajagiriya & Outer Circular Highway under BOT
The Road Development Authority has conducted a feasibility study to construct an elevated expressway from the new Kelani Bridge to the Athurugiriya Interchange on the Outer Circular Highway via Rajagiriya along the Port Access elevated Expressway which is currently under construction on World Band funds. Accordingly The Cabinet of ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Highways to take necessary steps to requests for proposals (RFP) for the implementation of the project with 100% foreign funding under Build, Operate, and Transfer Scheme (BOT).
New Industrial City to be established in Katunayake
Cabinet has approved the allocation of hundred acre land in Katana area to set up and Industrial Estate with an investment of nearly 30,000 million rupees.
A Cabinet proposal in this regard states
Nearly 150 investors have requested the Ministry of Industry to provide them an opportunity to set up businesses in the Western Province. The Ministry has confirmed that this could generate an investment of around Rs. 30,000 million and 11,500 job opportunities. There is a need for a new industrial estate as all the eight industrial estates in the Western Province are currently operating at full capacity. Accordingly the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the. Minister of Industries to set up an industrial estate using 100 acres area of government land named Kaludiyawala Watta in the Katana Divisional Secretariat Division to facilitate the commencement of industries such as rubber, plastics, pharmaceutical and allied products, electrical and electronic appliances, packaging, value added agro products and recycling industries with a focus on apparel and allied products.
