21st Amendment to be submitted for Cabinet approval today

The weekly Cabinet meeting is scheduled to be held this evening (06) chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Several special proposals are due to be presented to the Cabinet today, the most important of which is the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.

Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe will present the draft to the Cabinet.

The minister yesterday said the draft bill pertaining to the 21st Amendment to the Constitution is expected to be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval today (06).

The Minister pointed out that the views and suggestions obtained from the party leaders will be included in the 21st Amendment Draft Bill, which has already been submitted to the Cabinet.

Accordingly, the relevant amendment is to be discussed in the Cabinet and approved today.

In addition, a proposal to revise the electricity tariff and a cabinet paper on handing over private lands that have been left uncultivated to cultivators are also scheduled to be presented to the Cabinet today.

The Ministry of Agriculture is to implement this programme.

Meanwhile, the District Secretaries will be empowered to hand over government owned lands for cultivation activities from today.

The Ministry of Public Administration stated that lands which do not belong to the reserve water sources and archeological classification will be provided for cultivation.

It is planned to provide these lands for cultivation for a period of one year.

These lands will be vested in the District Secretaries in accordance with the powers vested in the Land Commissioner and through District Secretaries they will be provided to persons who wish to cultivate.