Divineguma Bill presented in Parliament for 2nd reading

Following the  Speaker’s announcement in Parliament of the Supreme Court ruling on the Divineguma Bill the Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa presented the Bill for second reading.

Divineguma Bill have been challenged in the Supreme Court and its verdict was presented to Parliament by the Speaker when the Parliament met this afternoon.  The Speaker reading out the SC ruling said that certain clauses of the Bill should be approved by a special majority of 2/3rd in Parliament.

The Minister making his lengthy presentation oft the Bill said Divineguma aimed at alleviation of poverty in the country with the community participation is the only Bill in the history of Sri Lanka which has been subjected to scrutiny  twice by  the Supreme Court.

When this Bill was originally challenged, SC had ruled that since it has areas coming under Provincial Councils, the approval of the Provincial Councils be sought first before  presenting it in Parliament.  Later the Bill was  re-submitted before SC accompanied by the approval by all nine Provincial Councils in the country for its determination of the constitutionality of the Bill.

Minister Basil Rajapaksa previously commenting on the future of the Bill had said that the government is ready to act according to the decision of the Supreme Court,  even for a referendum if it is necessary.

The government expects to improve local agricultural produce through Divineguma project to usher in a poverty free Sri Lanka.  The main  objective of the project inter-alia is to give a commercial value to home gardens through micro financing introduced under the proposed Divineguma Department.

 

Source: Government News Portal

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