8 April 2011 05:22 am Views - 4720
The Cabinet has approved a proposal made by the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mr. Rishard Bathiudeen for the establishment of a National Organic Control Authority (NOCA) to facilitate the Export of Organic Products.
The main objective of establishing this Authority is to maintain a credible system of quality assurance for organic agricultural products such as spices, herbs, essential oils, desiccated coconut. oil seeds, pulses, cashew, tropical fruits and vegetables that are being exported from Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka Export Development Act will be amended enabling the setting up of this new authority by an Act of Parliament.
Another proposal approved by the Cabinet was provisions for Human resource requirements of 1000 Secondary School Program. This proposal has been made by the Minister of Education Mr. Bandula Gunawardena to recruit the required human resources to maintain the schools that will be established under the one thousand secondary school program, a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to establish these schools particularly in the remote areas and thereby provide the village students the facilities now being enjoyed by only urbanite school students.
The implementation of this program will be completed within the next three years and each of the proposed school will be equipped with a language lab, Science and technology laboratory, a computer laboratory with minimum of 50 computers and internet facilities, a mathematics laboratory and a library with modern facilities.
Accordingly, required human resources to manage these schools and to maintain the special units set up under this program will be provided after providing them with necessary training and expertise.
The Cabinet has also approved a proposal by the Minister of Civil Aviation Mr. Priyankara Jayarathna for signing an Air Services Agreement with United Kingdom to enable the increase of the present frequency entitlement from 14 to 21 flights per week between the two countries starting in the Winter Season 2011/2012.
Accordingly, the already initialled Air Services Agreement will be signed between the two countries shortly.
Other proposals approved by the Cabinet of Ministers were to provide Rs 2100 Million for purchase of free school uniforms in 2012, to hold a commemorative Exhibition to mark the 2600th Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi, to amend the Banking Act to regulate the Licensed Banks, to obtain a loan from Germany amounting to Rs. 4300 Million (Euro 28 Million) to complete the work of Galle Mahamodara Hospital, damaged by the 2004 Tsunami, an upgrading of Assistant Government Agents’ Offices of - Delft. Kayts (North Island), Karainagar and Vadamarachchi East, in the Jaffna District, Kandawalai, Karachchui, Pachchilaipally and Punakari, in the Kilinochchi District, Madu and Manthai West in the Mannar District, Vavuniya North in the Vavuniya District, and Manthai East. Maritime Pattu, Pudukuduirrippu, Thunukkai and Oddusudan, in the Mullaithivu district as Divisional Secretariats. (Asian Tribune)