Cabinet Decisions

MoU between General KDU and IDU

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal submitted by the Ministers of Rural Development, Internal Trade, and Consumer Welfare, as well as the State Minister of Defence, for signing a memorandum of understanding between the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) and the Indonesian Defence University (IDU), with a view to enable educational cooperation enhancement, mutual access to libraries/academic staff/teachers, mutual exchange of researchers' and guest lecturers' service, mutual educational tours, strategic research, provision of grants/scholarships, training of teachers and researchers, exchange of classical documents/books, and organisation of workshops and exhibitions.

Resumption of court complex construction

Cabinet has approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice, to re-initiate the establishment of the court complex at the Beligaha Junction in Galle, which had been halted halfway through its construction.

Multi-Purpose Development Task Force

The proposal forwarded by the President to establish a multi-purpose development task force that enables the provision of employment opportunities to 100,000 youth from low-income families with minimum educational qualification, was approved at the meeting of Cabinet of Ministers held last month.

Accordingly, the Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Minister of Rural Development for the establishment of a service, called the ‘Development Task Assistants Service’, and for recruiting 100,000 individuals who have passed the 8th Grade in government schools for that service, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Gazette notification on traffic signs

In terms of the provisions of the Motor Traffic Act, the gazette notification No.1940/21 of 2015 was published for putting up road signs and highway symbols. However, there has been no 'halt' signs for long-distance buses under it.

Therefore, considering the inconvenience caused to bus drivers and commuters, the gazette notification No.2128/9 of last year has been published including 'halt symbols' for long-distance buses.

Accordingly, the Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Minister of Transport Services Management with the said gazette notification, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Supplying 20,000 vials of 40mg Tenecteplase injections

The Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Services, for awarding the contract of the procurement of 20,000 vials of 40mg Tenecteplase injections utilised for the prevention of deaths of individuals stricken with heart-attacks, was approved by the Cabinet of ministers.

Accordingly, M/s Boehringer Ingelheim India (Pvt) Ltd. is to be paid USD 8.75 million for the procurement. It will be subjected to the recommendation of the Standing Procurement Committee appointed by Cabinet.

Supplying 500,000 syringes pre-filled with Enoxaparin sodium

The procurement of 500,000 syringes pre-filled with Enoxaparin sodium (IU 4000/0.4 ml) injections for heart patients, which was proposed by the Standing Procurement Committee appointed by the Cabinet of ministers for the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine Services, has been considered by the Procurement Appeals Board. They have submitted recommendations on the steps to be taken in relation to the said procurement.

The Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Services, for awarding the contract to M/s. ABC Pharma Services (Pvt) Ltd. at a cost of Rs.396.74 million, has been approved by Cabinet.

200,000 nucleic acid test for the Procleix Tigris NAT system

The Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Services, to award the contract for the procurement of 200,000 nucleic acid test for the Procleix Tigris NAT system to identify HIV-1, Hepatitis-B, Hepatitis-C in blood donors to M/s. Apcot Marketing (Pvt) Ltd. for USD 3.09 million (without VAT), as per the recommendation of the Standing Procurement Committee, has been approved by Cabinet.

Supplying 11,000,000 bottles of sodium chloride inter-alkaline liquid

The procurement for supplying 11,000,000 bottles of either sodium chloride inter – alkaline liquid BG 0.9% w/v or sodium chloride syringes USP, or 500 ml of w/v 0.9%, used to restore the blood volume of the patients when it lower, by M/s ItchuanKelun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd in China, subject to the recommendation of the standing procurement committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers was submitted by the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Services in a Cabinet Memorandum for awarding to the Company for an amount of US dollars 2.92 million with total cost and freight charges was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers

32,000,000 tablets of Co-Amoxilate/ Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate

The procurement of either 32,000,000 tablets of Co-Amoxilate tablets (625mg) or Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate tablets (625mg) from M/s Indchemie Health Ltd. in India at a cost of USD 1.56 million, which was proposed by the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Services, has been approved by Cabinet.

NWP construction contracts under Consolidated Road Investment Programme

The Cabinet of ministers has approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Roads and Highways, for awarding contracts for three packages of renovation, extension, and maintenance.

Supplying 100,000 concrete sleepers

The State Timber Corporation has been unable to cater to the demand of timber sleepers required for railways, especially due to the shortage of timber. Therefore, the Department of Railways tend to satisfy their sprouting requirement of sleepers required for maintenance by procuring concrete sleepers.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of ministers has approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Transport Services Management, to award the contract of supplying 100,000 concrete sleepers for an amount of Rs.6,876 each, including management charges, within the next 30 months.

Coastal Feedback Project

The coastal belt between Colpetty and Moratuwa has been recognised as a densely-populated area. A sand dune of almost 2km surrounding the Kalutara river delta has almost vanished while the famous Kalido coastal belt, too, has been severely threatened due to erosion.

Therefore, the project to recreate the coastal belt 4km from Angulana to Mt. Lavinia, and 2km of the Kalido coastal belt in Kalutara; nitrifying the area with sand obtained through deep-sea excavations, has been approved by the Cabinet of ministers.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of ministers approved the proposal submitted by the Minister of Environment and Wildlife, for awarding the contract of the project to M/s. Rohde Nielsen A/S at a cost of €4.40 million.

Implementation of new tax resolutions

Cabinet has agreed that the tax acts applicable to the implementation of the tax policy proposals under the Economic Restoration Initiation Programme, need to be amended.

Accordingly, Cabinet has approved the memorandum submitted by the Minister of Finance, publishing the drafts of the National Building Tax (Amendment) Act, Ports and Airports Development Tax (Amendment) Act, Economic Service Charges (Amendment) Act, Economic Service Charges (Amendment) Act, and the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Act prepared by the Legal Draughtsman.

Draft of Inland Revenue Amendment Act

The Cabinet memorandum submitted by the Minister of Finance, to provide instructions to the Legal Draughtsman for the formulation of draft acts to amend the Inland Revenue Act; including the proposed revisions in relation to releasing the income from interests related to retention tax, amendment of tax rates of payment on earnings, amendment of income tax rates applicable on end-service tax, releasing income tax, as well as the change of rates; has been approved by Cabinet.