DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE CABINET AT ITS MEETING HELD ON - 05.01.2011

1/8    Census of Population and Housing in 2011
•    The 14th   Census of Population and Housing is to be conducted this year covering all 25 districts of the country after 30 years

•    The Census was last held in 1981 but it was then confined to 18 districts only.

•    On the basis of a Memorandum submitted by the President, Cabinet approval had been granted to hold the 14th Census of Population and Housing in the year 2011

•    The Cabinet approval was given to obtain the specialized resources needed for the purpose using the competitive bidding process.

•    A sum of Rs 700 million has been estimated to cost for the project.

2/10    Govt to buy liquid milk at Rs 50/ per liter from dairy farmers
•    On a proposal made by the Minister of Livestock and Rural Community  Development Mr Arumugan Thondaman approval was granted to increase the minimum farm gate purchase price of fresh milk to Rs.50/- per 1tr

•    This is in keeping with the 2011-Budget Proposals where President had proposed this increase

•    The country has reached 35% self-reliance in local milk production and it is envisaged to become 100% self sufficient by 2016, thereby saving a considerable amount of foreign exchange spent for the importation of milk powder.

3/11    All import levies on Dairy Animals for breeding purposes removed
•    This is also on a proposal made by the Minister of Livestock and Rural Community Development Mr Arumugan Thondaman.

•    It is estimated that the country needs to have additional 100,000 high yielding cows to achieve self sufficiency in milk production in 2016 from its current status quo of 35% self reliance.

•    Accordingly, Cabinet approval was granted for the removal of all levies on the imports of all pure bred dairy cows and dairy equipment.

4/30    1000 fully equipped secondary schools to be established throughout the     country
•    On a proposal made by the Minister of Education Mr Bandula Gunawardena Cabinet approved to implement a National Programme to establish 1000 fully equipped secondary schools throughout the country from this year.

•    This national program will be implemented within a period of 04 years and funds have already been received from the Asian Development Bank for the development of 100 such schools.

•    Funds from the World Bank for this project are to be received from the second quarter of this year.

•    The contract for planning and supervision is to be awarded to the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB) and construction work will be awarded on Open Competitive Bidding basis.

•    Medium and Small Scale contractors in the locality of the respective provinces will be given preference in this process.