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Relief food packs for low income earners ahead of New Year

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The government is focusing on providing packs of essential food items to low-income earners in preparation for the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

In order to make policy decisions related to ensuring food security, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, K.D. Lalkantha, and Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe, along with members of the Food Policy and Security Committee, gathered for the third time today (Feb. 24) at the Parliament premises to focus on these matters.

The meeting also concentrated on ensuring the continuous availability of essential food items without shortages during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year period, as well as maintaining price control over these goods.

During the meeting, the budget proposal to allocate Rs.01 billion to provide essential food items at subsidized prices to low-income families during the festive season was thoroughly discussed.

The discussion also focused on maintaining essential goods’ prices at minimal levels in the market, with particular attention given to the reduction of bakery product prices.

The purchase of rice was another key point of discussion, with attention directed towards ensuring that rice mill owners use the credit facilities provided to purchase the appropriate quantities of rice. Concerns were raised that some rice mill owners were using the credit for other purposes, and officers were instructed to investigate these matters.

It was disclosed that several prominent rice mill owners had obtained over 15 billion rupees in bank loans for the procurement of rice. Consequently, the government plans to purchase 250,000 metric tons of rice and has focused on encouraging smaller rice mill owners to engage in the purchasing process. Officials were further directed to ensure the prevention of any rice shortages.

Additionally, the meeting discussed the expansion of the cooperative and Sathosa trade networks to offer essential goods at subsidized prices to consumers. The establishment of a consumer-friendly market, supported by effective price controls, was also addressed.

The meeting included the participation of Secretary to the Prime Minister, Pradeep Saputhanthri, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Kapila Janaka Bandara, and other members of the Food Policy and Security Committee, consisting of ministry secretaries.

(President’s Media Division)

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Canada invites Modi to G7 summit

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Canadian prime minister Mark Carney invited his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to the upcoming Group of Seven summit in a phone call on Friday (6), as the two sides look to mend ties after relations soured in the past two years.

The leaders agreed to remain in contact and looked forward to meeting at the G7 summit later this month, a readout from Carney’s office said.

India is not a G7 member but can be invited as a guest to its annual gathering, which will be held this year in Kananaskis in the Canadian province of Alberta, from June 15 to 17.

“Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister (Carney) … thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit,” Modi said in a post on X.

Modi also stated in his post on Friday that India and Canada would work together “with renewed vigour, guided by mutual respect and shared interests.”

Bilateral ties deteriorated after Canada accused India of involvement in a Sikh separatist leader’s murder, and of attempting to interfere in two recent elections. Canada expelled several top Indian diplomats and consular officials in October 2024 after linking them to the murder and alleged a broader effort to target Indian dissidents in Canada.

New Delhi has denied the allegations, and expelled the same number of Canadian diplomats in response.

India is Canada’s 10th largest trading partner and Canada is the biggest exporter of pulses, including lentils, to India.

Carney, who is trying to diversify trade away from the United States, said it made sense for the G7 to invite India, since it had the fifth-largest economy in the world and was at the heart of a number of supply chains.

“In addition, bilaterally, we have now agreed, importantly, to continued law enforcement dialogue, so there’s been some progress on that, that recognizes issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to prime minister Modi in that context,” he told reporters in Ottawa.

Four Indian nationals have been charged in the killing of the Sikh separatist leader.

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PMD issues statement on alleged presidential pardon of prisoner

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The President’s Media Division (PMD) has issued an official statement highlighting a serious procedural irregularity involving the release of a prisoner from Anuradhapura Prison, who was not approved under the presidential pardon granted for the 2025 Vesak festival.

According to the PMD, W.H. Athula Thilakaratne, an inmate serving a sentence for financial fraud, was released despite not being included in the list of prisoners approved by the President for a general pardon.

The PMD clarified that under Article 34(1) of the Constitution, the President has the authority to grant pardons to convicted prisoners.

Accordingly, a list of prisoners selected by the Prison Superintendents is forwarded to the Ministry of Justice.

The list is examined by the Ministry of Justice and then sent to the Presidential Secretariat. With the approval of the President, those prisoners are granted a general pardon, the PMD stated.

In this instance, the official list—submitted by the Commissioner General of Prisons on May 6, 2025—included 388 names.

However, the name of the individual imprisoned at Anuradhapura Prison in connection with financial fraud was not included in that list.

“This individual was not included in the list of 388 prisoners granted a presidential pardon,” the PMD stated.

In light of this development, the Presidential Secretariat lodged a formal complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday (June 6), under the title “Release of a Prisoner without Presidential Approval under the Presidential Pardon.”

The PMD further confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched, and disciplinary measures will be taken against any officials found responsible for the irregular release.(adaderana.lk)
(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Presidential pardon was routine, not personal – Prisons Commissioner

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The Department of Prisons has issued a statement defending the release of W. M. Athula Tilakaratne, a former finance company manager convicted of misappropriating Rs. 4 million, clarifying that it was part of a general presidential pardon granted on Vesak Poya Day.

Prisons Media Spokesman and Commissioner Gamini B. Dissanayake stated that Tilakaratne was among a group of inmates released under the annual Vesak pardon, which is granted to prisoners who meet certain conditions. He noted that the individual was not specifically singled out for release, but was eligible under the general criteria due to his sentence and the remission of the fine imposed by court.

According to the statement, Tilakaratne had been convicted under Section 386 of the Penal Code and sentenced to a suspended prison term with a fine of Rs. 20 lakhs as compensation. The High Court had also ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in six months of rigorous imprisonment. His release was granted as the fine was waived under the Vesak pardon provisions.

The Department emphasized that Tilakaratne was released in accordance with existing procedures and that the pardon was not targeted or exceptional.

Yesterday, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ajith P. Perera raised questions in Parliament regarding the pardon, highlighting that the release occurred just weeks after Tilakaratne’s conviction. He called on the government to explain the process and transparency behind granting such pardons, especially as the individual is reportedly facing other cases as well.

The government did not respond to the MP’s query during the session. 

(newswire.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by newswire.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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