Connect with us

News

Cabinet nod to provide rice to 2 mn. low-income families

Published

on

The Cabinet paper presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the provision of  10 kg of rice per month for two million low income families, including Samurdhi beneficiaries for a period of two months, has been approved.

Accordingly, the government will purchase 61,600 metric tons of paddy to meet the requirement of 40,000 Metric Tons. This program is proposed to be implemented by District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries with the assistance of small and medium-scale paddy mills.

Under the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries, rice will be distributed among the identified Samurdhi beneficiaries including low-income earners using the existing system and the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment will coordinate the District Secretaries and issue necessary instructions to them.

The total estimated cost is Rs.8,040 million, which includes Rs.6,200 million for paddy purchase, Rs.290 million for rice drying, Rs.590 million for milling charges, Rs.200 million for packing costs, Rs.160 million as additional payment to mill owners, and Rs.600 million for transportation.

However, the program’s estimated cost will vary depending on market fluctuations, and a budget provision of around Rs.10,000 million will be allocated to be used if the need arises.

According to data from the Departments of Agriculture and Agrarian Development, the land extent used for paddy cultivation in the 2022/2023 Maha season is approximately 732,201 hectares, and the expected yield is 3.3 million metric tons, while approximately 2.2 million metric tons of rice can be produced. Given the country’s monthly rice requirement of approximately 210,000 metric tons, it has been observed that the next Maha season may see a paddy surplus.  As a result, in order to protect both the paddy farmer and the consumer, the government must intervene in the purchase of a specific amount of paddy during the 2022/23 season.

Furthermore, due to the country’s extremely difficult economic situation, it is necessary to protect low-income groups of society from the negative effects of the crisis by assisting them in maintaining a good nutritional level. This group consists of approximately 2 million families, including Samurdhi beneficiaries. Although the government has provided additional funds for this group until April 2023, there is a need to care for these low-income earners for a further period. Because the paddy harvest in this season of 2022/2023 is expected to be higher than the previous Maha season, it is appropriate to use a portion of the paddy to provide additional support to identified low-income earners in order to maintain their standard of living. This program will benefit both farmers and low-income groups in the country.

The Treasury Secretary, officers of the Presidential Secretariat, the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Secretary to the Ministry of Women, and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, all District Secretaries, the Department of Samurdhi Development, and other related institutions will participate in the discussions on the method of implementing the proposed program. It is also expected to discuss and decide on the proposed rice distribution mechanism. In addition, the production cost of rice varieties to be purchased by farmers, a certified price for rice, paddy owner participation, transportation methods, and paddy milling charges will be discussed in depth.

News

Family of pickpockets arrested!

Published

on

By

A man who got into buses with wife and three children and then stole mobile phones and wallets of passengers was arrested along with 5,200 milligrams of heroin, the Piliyandala Police said.

During the interrogation of the suspect, police found nearly 20 stolen mobile phones worth over Rs.1 million.

Piliyandala Crimes OIC IP Dinesh Hettiarachchi, who has been paying attention to several complaints received from youths and school children regarding the loss of mobile phones in buses, has arrested the suspect in Miriswatta based on CCTV footage.

A police officer said that the wife and three children were with the suspect at the time of his arrest, and the three children had started crying requesting not to take their father away.

The 33-year-old suspect, a resident of Pothupitiya in Wadduwa, failed to give a valid reason as to why he was in Piliyandala with his wife and children.

Investigations revealed that the mobile phones of school children and women in buses were stolen meticulously by the suspect along Route No. 138 Homagama-Pettah and Route No. 296 Piliyandala-Maharagama.

Police said that they were able to find the stolen mobile phones which had been sold at a very low price in Badowita, Mt.Lavinia and Pettah.

The suspect will be produced in the Kesbewa Magistrate’s Court.

Continue Reading

News

‘Murawatte Kabaraya’ hospitalized!

Published

on

By

A suspect, who was recaptured after escaping from the custody of the Kalutara Prison officers, was hospitalized due to injuries sustained after he banged his head against the iron door of the police cell, Panadura North Police said.

The suspect was identified as 32-year-old ‘Murawatte Kabaraya’, a resident of Koralawella, Moratuwa.

Police sources said that the suspect was arrested yesterday (07) by a group of officers of the crimes division.

He was admitted to the Panadura Base Hospital in a ‘Suwa Seriya’ ambulance.

Continue Reading

News

Restraining order against Anura over today’s protest!

Published

on

By

The Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court issued a restraining order against 26 individuals including Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in relation to a protest to be organized by the National People’s Power outside the Election Commission in Rajagiriya today (08) against the postponement of the local government elections.

According to Section 106 (01) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the Court issued the order against the 26 people including Mr. Dissanayake, Vijitha Herath, Lal Kantha, Tilvin Silva, Sunil Handunnetti and Wasantha Samarasinghe.

This Court issued this order preventing them from protesting along the Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Road, Cotta Road, Nawala Road, Sarana Road and access roads towards the Election Commission.

The Welikada Police requested the restraining order from the Court stating that the protest to be carried out by the parties named as respondents could inconvenience the public and cause disturbance to the students who are facing the GCE O/L exam.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 Sri Lanka Mirror. All Rights Reserved