News

World Fisheries Day celebrations in Beruwala today!

Published

7 months ago

November 21, 2022

editor

The World Fisheries Day celebrations will be held at the Beruwala Divisional Secretariat premises at 10.00 a.m. today (21) under the aegis of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena .

Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda and State Minister Piyal Nishantha de Silva will also join in this event and introduce the new fisheries insurance scheme, a new pension scheme under the ‘Dola Rala Saviya’ programme implemented on a concept of the State Minister.

Introducing the ‘Diyawara Kekulu’ Children’s Savings Account, issuing a commemorative stamp, awarding scholarships to the children of the fisheries community who obtained excellent results, providing financial assistance to new entrepreneurs in the ornamental fish industry and a discourse on the Fisheries Charter will also be held today.

A new insurance policy called “Dheewara Rakuma” will be introduced to fishermen in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. In case of death or incapacity while engaged in fishing due to an accident, the fisherman or the family members will be awarded compensation ranging from Rs. 1.2 million – 2 million.

If a fisherman goes missing due to an accident while engaged in fishing, the family will be given Rs.7,500 per month for up to 12 months.

Fishermen can receive these benefits by paying premiums ranging from Rs.1,865-2,000 annually.

A new pension scheme is being launched in association with the Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board, to which fishermen aged 18 to 59 years can contribute. This pension is available to fishermen from the age of 60.

This pension will be given to the spouse of the member and their children in case of a death.

The Ministry of Fisheries together with the Bank of Ceylon will introduce the ‘Diyawara Kekulu’ children’s savings account today, under which money will be given to fishermen’s children every month for educational activities. The amount in the children’s savings account will be increased tenfold in case of the sudden death of their father.

News

CMC’s receivable income exceeds Rs.6,200mn in 2022!

Published

16 mins ago

June 9, 2023

editor

The receivable income of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) for the year 2022 was Rs.6,280.50 million, it was revealed during the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) meeting.

This was revealed when the COPA met in Parliament on June 06 under the chairmanship of State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna to examine the Auditor General’s reports and current performance of the Colombo Municipal Council for the years 2020/2021.

The CMC’s total receivable income of the year 2021 is Rs.5,835.6 million, Rs.5,386.4 million in 2022 and Rs.4,481.5 million in 2019. It was found that these arrears are in the form of assessment tax, rent and other taxes.

Accordingly, the officials who were present pointed out that they are making arrangements to acquire the properties where the taxes are in arrears.

They said that there are issues related to the identification of the owners of certain properties, and that there is also a shortage of CMC officials available to look into these matters.

The COPA member MPs pointed out that assessment numbers have been given for unauthorized constructions as well.

Accordingly, the committee recommended that a programme should be prepared with specific dates to recover the arrears and a full report should be submitted to the COPA by July 06, 2023.

It was also revealed that the private companies contracted to collect parking fees have continued to default on the monthly rent due to the CMC and the amount of arrears to be collected from 38 companies as at December 31, 2021, was Rs. 265 million.

BIZ

Parliament SOC recommends not to privatise SLT

Published

27 mins ago

June 9, 2023

editor

The Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on National Security has said that it does not recommend the privatisation of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT).

This was stated in a report issued by the SOC on National Security headed by MP Sarath Weerasekera.

The report said that matters sensitive to national security can be exposed through the privatisation of SLT.

News

Fonseka resigns from SOC on National Security

Published

29 mins ago

June 9, 2023

editor

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has resigned from the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on National Security, Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakshe announced in Parliament today (09).

He said MP Rauff Hakeem has been appointed to the vacant position instead.