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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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Kahawatta murder : 2 suspects remanded

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Two individuals arrested yesterday (July 16) over the abduction and murder of a youth in Kahawatta have been remanded until July 28.

They were remanded after being produced before the Pelmadulla Magistrate’s Court.

Four suspects were arrested in this regard yesterday and the Homagama Magistrate had granted permission to police to detain two suspects for 07 days for questioning while remanding the remaining 02 suspects until they were produced before the Pelmadulla courts today.

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Newborn found abandoned in paddy field in Paragahadeniya

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A newborn has been found abandoned in a paddy field in Paragahadeniya, Mawathagama earlier today (July 17), police stated.

A local resident passing through the paddy field had noticed the newborn lying under a tree in the field and subsequently informed the Mawathagama Police.

The baby was subsequently admitted to the Mawathagama Divisional Hospital.

A doctor who examined the infant had stated that the baby appeared to be one or two days old and following initial examinations, the baby was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Kurunegala Teaching Hospital.

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SC annuls injunction over compulsory retirement age of nurses

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The Supreme Court today invalidated the interim injunction previously issued by the Court of Appeal preventing the enforcement of the former government’s decision to compulsorily retire nurses in four grades at the age of 60.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court also issued another order to the Court of Appeal to re-examine the petition filed before the court regarding this matter. 

The Supreme Court issued this order when an appeal filed by the Attorney General, seeking to declare the relevant interim injunction issued by the Appellate Court as unlawful and invalid, was taken up for hearing today.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Janak de Silva and A. H.M.D. Nawaz issued the order.

During the previous government, the Cabinet of Ministers had taken a decision to make government employees compulsorily retire at the age of 60 years.

The Court of Appeal, which heard writ petitions filed by the Public Service United Nurses’ Association and its President, Venerable Murutthettuwe Ananda Thero, had issued this interim injunction, preventing the implementation of the relevant decision.

The Attorney General had later filed an appeal petition in the Supreme Court, stating that the manner in which this interim injunction was issued is contrary to the law and that the Court of Appeal does not have the power to issue such an order.

After hearing the petition, the three-judge Supreme Court bench issued this order nullifying the interim injunction.

(adaderana.lk)

(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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