Sri Lanka to prioritize food production, environment and drug eradication in first cabinet meeting

Aug 21, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena says he will present proposals for national programs to be implemented for local food production, environmental preservation and drug eradication, at the first meeting of the new cabinet.



According to the proposal, local food production programmes which make the country self-sufficient will be implemented in several phases, the President's media said in a release. The programs will be put into practice in areas of agricultural research, qualitative applications and efficient sales system. President Sirisena made these remarks at a meeting with the members of the Task Forces for the above programs held Thursday at the Presidential Secretariat.

He pointed out the importance of encouraging farmers to cultivate all uncultivated farmlands and recalled the Agrarian Services Act which states the importance of educating farmers in this regard.



The environment preservation program will be implemented under sub programs on environmental issues, soil erosion, elephant-human conflict and coast conservation.

President Sirisena has directed officials to empower the programs that he initiated during his time as the Minister of Environment to minimize the use of polythene which is severely affecting the environment.