Cabinet Decisions

Registration of persons to be decentralized

The Cabinet has granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by the Prime Minister, who is also the Minister of Internal Administration on the restructuring of the organizational structure of the Registration of Persons Department (RPD).

The Prime Minister stated in his Memorandum that since the establishment of the department in 1972, it has issued more than 20 million identity cards and it still adopts manual process for recording of data contained in NIC applications.

The technical standard and security features of the present NIC do not match with the present day requirements. The Government has approved the implementation of a project which automates the NIC application processing procedures and printing of new identity cards.

Accordingly a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Registration of Persons Department and the Ministry with the Information and Communication Technology Agency for the implementation of eNIC project. In order to implement this project, it is necessary for the RPD to decentralize its activities and establish a RPD unit in each Divisional Secretariat with necessary IT experts.

Therefore, it is proposed to decentralize the NIC application processing procedure to Divisional Secretariat level by latter part of 2007.

Therefore, the Cabinet has granted its approval for the RPD to decentralize its activities to Provincial and Divisional Secretariat levels, to upgrade the post of Commissioner to Commissioner General, create two additional posts of Commissioners for Administration & Operations and Information Technology, upgrading the present of Deputy Commissioner (Finance) to Commissioner (Finance), create a post of Deputy Commissioner (Information and Technology) in addition to existing two posts of Administration and Operations in the current cadre and the present posts of 08 Assistant Commissioners to 14, as well as to allocate financial provisions from the estimated annual budget for the operation of the proposed units in the Provincial and Divisional Secretariat levels.

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Code of Regulations of Assisted Special Schools to be revised

The Cabinet has granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Education Minister A. D. Susil Premajayantha for the revision of the Code of Regulations of Assisted Special Schools.

There are 25 Assisted Special Schools functioning for the purpose of providing educational facilities for students having special needs in Sri Lanka. The Code of Regulations of Assisted Special Schools implementing at present has been prepared in the year 1948 and only a very few revisions have been done in them.

The professionals in this field have pointed out to the Advisory Committee related Special Education in the Ministry of Education that these regulations should be revised in keeping with the present requirements. Accordingly the revision of this Code of Regulations of Assisted Special Schools is a timely need.

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Draft Bill for incorporation of Bibliomania Educational Books for the National Foundation is to be revised

The Cabinet has granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Education Minister A. D. Susil Premajayantha on the revision of a Draft Bill for the incorporation of Bibliomania Educational Books for the National Foundation.

The Secretary to the Cabinet of Ministers has informed the Secretary, Ministry of Education that the Bill has been recommended and approval is granted to submit a report to the Parliament.

In view of the requirement to supply books and other educational materials to the school system in keeping with the National Policy and Common National Objectives, the Minister sought the approval of the Cabinet to amend his previous memorandum to read as “all written and printed publications and educational materials introduced through electronic media should be formally approved by the Educational Publications Department, prior to providing them to the students through the school system”.

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Vehicles for local authorities

The Cabinet has granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon on the provision of vehicles for local authorities.

At the last Local Government Election held in April 2006, new people’s representatives were elected for all local authorities, with the exception of 61 in the North-East Province. At present there are 18 Municipal Councils, 42 Urban Councils and 270 Pradeshiya Sabhas making altogether 330 Local Authorities in the country.

Representations have been made constantly for obtaining transport facilities for Local Authorities with the aim of improving the delivery of services and accelerating development activities.

At present 69 Local Authorities do not have any vehicles, and 60 Local Authorities possess vehicles older than 10 years. Therefore, the Cabinet has granted its approval to purchase 129 single cabs at a cost of Rs. 155 million, enabling to provide at least one vehicle for Local Authorities which do not possess even road-worthy vehicles.

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Construction Programme in Jaffna District

The Cabinet has granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by Higher Education Minister Professor Viswa Warnapala on the Construction programme in the Jaffna District under the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project.

Hostel building for the Medical Faculty of University of Jaffna and Academic Building for the Advanced Technological Institute (ATI) in Jaffna are to be constructed under the above project funded by Kuwait. The project period is short and physical work has to be completed by the end of June 2008.

The construction programme was advertised in 2006 and there was no response from the Bidders at the pre-qualification. Open tenders were invited early this year for the programme in Jaffna and only Bidder i.e. M/s. Euroville Engineers and Constructors responded. It is important to note that there are not many contractors currently operating in the Jaffna District.

If the project is unable to award the contract earmarked for Jaffna University within the next few months it will not be possible to make use of loan funds identified for the construction project for the benefit of medical students in this District.

Therefore, the Cabinet has granted its approval to consider the Bidder M/s, Euroville Engineers and Constructors (Pvt) Ltd is eligible to undertake the construction of Jaffna University Hostel Building under the Tsunami Rehabilitation Project.

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Calculation of Taxes/Levies payable on disposal of vehicles imported under concessionary terms

The Cabinet has granted its approval to a Memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Finance and Planning on the calculation of taxes/levies payable on disposal of vehicles imported under concessionary terms.

Representations have been made to the General Treasury by individuals and organizations requesting to review the current procedure on the determination of customs and other levies payable on vehicles imported under duty/tax concessions, when they are sold locally.

It has been evident that the vehicles imported under concessionary terms cannot be sold in the market due to the higher rate taxes and levies being charged at present compared with those of several years ago, even if taxes/levies are calculated on the depreciated value.

Therefore, it has become necessary to introduce new scheme for calculation of taxes/levies at the time of disposal of vehicles imported under concessionary terms, on the basis of government policy decisions from time to time on imports of vehicles under duty/tax concessionary schemes for the benefit of different sectors and vehicles imported on concessionary terms under 19 (A) of the Customs Ordinance.