Cabinet Has Approved A 7% Price Hike Of Private Bus Fares

The Cabinet has approved a 7% price hike of Private Bus fares with effect from 01st Of November this year.the cabinet paper on price hike of private bus fares which was submitted to the cabinet recently has received the approval according to Minister of Private Transport Services C.B Ratnayake.

Meanwhile trade unions representing private bus owners have expressed their opposition for the proposed 7% price hike  by stating that government should have increased private bus fares by more then this.the president of Lanka Private Bus Owners Association Gamunu Wijeratne has said that the authorities still not been  informed them on the new price hike of bus fares. however  the proposed 7% hike was requested by them on last February and it should be increased more then this by now he has said.there may be a price increase of Diesel behind the increase of bus fares he has stressed.

 The association's director board will meet tomorrow(13) to discuss on the matter the president of Lanka Private Bus Owners Association has revealed.

Stating on the new bus fare increase the secretary of All Island Private Bus Companies Federation Anjana Priyanjith has said that according to national policy on bus fares a 10%  bus fare increase should be granted .if the authorities have not revised this new bus fare increase ,the federation  will sought a legal action against it he has said.

One Thousand Fifty Expired Infant Milk Powder Packets Found In A Store

Around 1050 expired  Infant Milk Powder Packets have been found  in    a store in Seeduwa Area - Colombo  while the owner was preparing to re issue them to the market   the consumer affairs authority has said today(11). 

According to the authority the Private Company who owns the store have tried to change the expiry days of the milk powder packets ,re pack them in a new packets and issue them to the market .

TNA Has Appointed New Ministers For The Northern Provincial Council

The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) which has secured a land slide victory in the recently concluded Northern Provincial Council Elections has today (10) appointed four ministers for the provincial council .also TNA has appointed C.V.K Sivagnanam and Anton Jayanthan respectively as the new Chairman and Vice Chairman of the council.

the newly appointed ministers of the council are as follows.

P. Ingaranesan – Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Water Supply and Environment

T. Kurukularasa – Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs

P. Sathyalingam – Minister of Health

P. Deniswaran – Minister of Fisheries, Transport, Rural Development

The Chief Minister of  Northern Provincial Council  C.V Vigneshweran has been sworn in before president last Monday(07).

Nine New Deputy Ministers Were Sworn In Before President

Nine new deputy ministers were sworn in before president Mahinda Rajapaksha   at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.former cricketer and the current MP of ruling UPFA Sanath Jayasuriya and former private tutor Mohan Lal Grero were among the newly appointed deputy ministers.


 The names and portfolios of new deputy ministers are as follows.

Sanath Jayasuriya Deputy Minister of Postal Services Lakshman Wasantha Perera Deputy Minister of Industry and commerce Sarath Weerasekara Deputy Minister of Labour and Labour Relations Y.G. Padmasiri Deputy Minister of Agriculture Anthony Victor Perera Deputy Minister of Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Hemal Gunasekera Deputy Minister of Cooperative and Internal trade Mohan Lal Grero Deputy Minister of Education Nishantha Mutuhettigama Deputy Minister of Minor Export crop Promotion Sarath Mutukumarana Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison reforms

Ban Or Prohibit The Importing Of Milk Powder Products From Other Countries To Increase Local Milk Production-Convener Dairy Farmer's Union

"If the Sri Lankan Government want to increase local Milk Production as a policy, importing of Milk Powder Products from other countries should be either banned else prohibited according to Convener of National Movement of Dairy Framers Mr.Linus Jayathilake.

Country's Milk Market should be freed from businessmen as few of the international /local companies and businessmen are controlling the local milk market at present Mr.Jaytahilake has said.issuing a media release stating the need to increase local milk production for benefit of the people but not for the benefit of business community, he has stressed that there's no need to import  cows or genetic resources from other countries in view of increasing local milk production as the country is already having a sufficient number of cows and buffaloes to produce enough milk for the whole country.

"However the problems faced by local dairy farmers should be solved and the main problem they are facing at present is the lower prices they get for a 1 liter of Cow's Milk .milk powder and milk products companies are buying a liter of Cows Milk from our dairy farmers for just  Rs.50 but the  farmers have to pay Rs.60 to buy a Kilo Gramme of Punac(Coconut Cake)to feed cattle " he has stressed.

If the authorities really want to promote consumption of cow's milk in Sri Lanka they should begin to supply cows milk for  every child and sick people as the first step.local milk production should be increased with the aim of improving  people's health not the wealth of businessmen" Mr.Jayathilake has further said.

The Technical Evaluation Committee's Decision To Purchase 12 Essential Drugs For Higher Prices Cancelled

The Technical Evaluation Committee attach to  Ministry Of Health has planned to purchase 12 essential drug items for government hospitals on last September by spending  Rs.8.73 million more then the usual amount according to president of Health Services Trade Union Alliance(HSTUA) Saman Ratnapriya.the technical evaluation committee which meet 29th of September 2013 at the ministry has taken this decision, but due to the pressure of some health trade unions the committee has cancelled this decision he has revealed

The 12 essential drugs which the evaluation committee has decided to purchase for higher prices are  Sildenafil Tablets, Pediatric Paracetamol Oral Solution 120M/5ML ,Cefalexin Capsules BP 250MG, Hydrocortisone Tablets 10MG,Phrochloroperazine Tablets BP 5MG,Nalidixic Acid Tablets BP 250MG,Ibuprofen Tablets BP 200MG,Promethazine Injection BP25MG/5ML,Vancomycin Hydrochloride Injection 500MG,Glibenclamide Tablets BP 5MG,Captopril Tablets BP 25MG and Furosmide Injection BP/USP 20MG/2ML Ratnapriya has added.

"These drugs are including the list of 122 Drugs banned by Health Ministry three weeks back citing that they are in low quality .after banning those drugs Ministry Of Health has trying to purchase the 12 drugs mentioned earlier to avoid creating a drug shortage in government hospitals" HSTUA President has pointed out.however the ban imposed on 122 drugs supplied by five indian drug companies temporarily suspended last week by the ministry it self stating they are unable to find a quality drug suppliers in a hurry.

Six Hundrad Thousand Sri Lankans Are Living With Blindness And Half Blindness-Dr.Kodikara

Around 600,000 Sri Lankans are  found as living with  blindness and   half blindness(people with low vision)according to the president of Sri Lankan Ophthalmologists Association Dr.Ranjith Kodikara.out of this number 150,000 are living with blindness and 450,000 are having half blindness known as low vision he has said.

Also School Children numbering 160,000 are suffering from various kinds of eye disorders according to Dr.Kodikara.as eye disorders like cataract,glaucoma ,diabetic retinopathy,low vision and can lead to full blindness, people who are suffering from these eye disorders are advised to be seek medical advice and treatment from the nearest eye clinic in their residential areas .

The World Sight Day falls on this Thursday(10) and the main national programme to mark this event is scheduled to be held in Colombo Eye Hospital that day with a free eye clinic organized for people .