Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure – Samantha Vidyarathna has alleged that numerous associates and officials, including former ministers, have recently received substantial sums of money and government lands under the pretext of various cultivation projects, which were subsequently not implemented.
Speaking in Parliament, Vidyaratne announced that investigations will be initiated into these matters.
Minister Vidyarathna accused former Minister Salinda Dissanayake of acquiring 76 acres of fertile land from the Kurunegala Plantation Company through a company the latter had personally established.
Additionally, he claimed that a friend of former Minister Arundika Fernando was allocated 21 acres of fertile land belonging to the same company, misrepresented as barren land, with the transaction allegedly authorized by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The Minister further alleged that Anoma Gamage, wife of former Primary Industries Minister Daya Gamage, received 14 million rupees purportedly for an agricultural project, which was never executed.
These allegations were presented during the debate on the expenditure head of the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure.
He also stated that former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda was granted 18 million rupees for a cultivation project, and that 8.2 million rupees were given to the son of former Ministry Secretary Bandula Wickramarachchi for a similar initiative.
