The Chair of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna has instructed the Civil Security Department (CSD) to prepare a programme of action that would  suit both, its needs and the state budget.

State Minister Alagiyawanna gave these instructions at the COPA meeting held on Tuesday (08 Aug), under his chairmanship, during which the Auditor General’s report and current performance of the CSD for the years 2019 – 2021 were examined.

Accordingly, Alagiyawanna recommended that a report pertaining to the preparation of a legal framework that would suit the state budget be handed over to COPA before 11 September.

Meanwhile, officials present at the meeting highlighted that the CSD has not made any new recruitments in three-and-a-half years, while the Civil Security Force (CSF) has now been designated as an attrition force. 

They also pointed out that 33,687 people are currently working in the CSF, mentioning their designations and areas of service as well.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defense Kamal Gunaratne gave an explanation about the formation of this force and how it was done, and further discussed the purchases made in excess of the requirement, the projects undertaken by this department and the sale of grain and harvest grown by this force.

State Ministers Prasanna Ranaweera, Chamara Sampath Dasanayake, Diana Gamage, Members of Parliament Tissa Attanayake, Niroshan Perera, Hector Appuhamy, M.W.D. Sahan Pradeep Withana, Isuru Dodangoda, Jayantha Ketagoda, Major Pradeep Undugoda were present at the meeting held.