President Rajapaksha To Present The Annual Budget Proposals-2015 To The Parliament Tomorrow(24)

President Mahinda Rajapaksha is due to present the 2015 budget proposals to the Parliament tomorrow(24) as the finance Minister.This budget is the 69th annual budget presented to the parliament and 10th of the present government.

The estimated government expenditure for next year is more than Rs.3053 Billion around 17% higher then this year The Finance Ministry Sources have said.The Ministry that highest amount of money allocated from this budget  is the Ministry Of State Security And Urban Development and the amount is Rs.285 Billion.An amount of Rs.200 Billion is allocated for the Ministry Of Highways,Ports and Shipping and Rs.139 Billion is allocated for the Ministry Of Health from the budget sources have added.

The annual budget proposals which usually scheduled to be presented to the Parliament in early November present to the Parliament tomorrow due to the Presidential Elections scheduled to be held early next year the government sources said.

Nurses Union Leader To Sue Media Spokesman Of Doctors Union Claiming Rs.500 Million Compansation

The President of the Public Services Nurses Union(PSNU) Venerable Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero is due to take legal action against the media spokesman of the Government Medical Officers Association(GMOA) Dr Navin Soyza by demanding Rs.500 million Compensation for making Defamatory Statements against him.Ven.Muruththettuwe Thero who is also the Chief Incumbent of the Western Province had already instructed his lawyers to file a defamatory case against the GMOA Media spokesman who said to be used abusive language against the thero during  a press briefing held on last July.

Earlier Muruththettuwe Thero who is leading the Sri Lanka's largest Nurses Union(PSNU) has sent a legal notice to the GMOA Media spokesman Dr.Soyza to pay Rs.500 million as a compensation within two weeks time for making the defamatory statements against him.As the accused
has not responded to the notice Muruththettuwe Thero has instructed his lawyers to file a case in Supreme Court against the GMOA Media spokesman.

Two Men Drowned During Sea Bath At Galle Face Green-One Was Saved

One out of the two men who drowned during their sea bath at Galle Face Green this evening was saved while other has gone  missing  the Police have announced.The saved man WAS admitted to the Colombo National Hospital.

The Police and Navy Officers have launched a joint search operation to trace  the missing person.

Health Authorities Will Never Implement The National Drug Policy-Health Trade unions

The Health Authorities here will never implement the much talked about National Drug Policy at all due to the influence of multi national drug companies the Health Trade Union Leaders have stressed.The Drug Policy which the health ministers in the recent past have been pledged that they will implement it soon since 1991 has now become a white elephant according to the Health Trade Union Leaders.

The original National Drug Policy which is based on Professor Senaka Bibile's national drug policy was approved by the cabinet in the year 2005 but it has changed later by some health officials  which was highly criticized by many professionals in the country.Due to the heavy criticisms made against the changed drug policy Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena  has instructed the health ministry officials last June to amend it  and submitted to the Parliamentary Select Committee for the approval.

However since three and half months have elapsed  since the minister's direction the whereabouts on drug policy has gone with the wind the Health Trade Union Leaders have said.

Government Allied Party JHU To Forward Eight Resolutions To The Government

One of the allied parties of the Government Coalition the Jathika Hela Urumaya(JHU) Party has passed eight resolutions during their annual convention  held yesterday to be forwarded to the government in Colombo including the reducing the present Cabinet Of Ministers to 25 members  and  abolishing the executive presidency before the forthcoming presidential elections the party sources have said.

The 11th Party Convention of the JHU was held yesterday in Colombo .The passed resolutions were read to the gathering by the Western Provincial Councilor of JHU Udaya Gammanpila.

Reducing the number of Deputy Ministers in the government to 35 members ,President should be answerable to the Parliament and non career diplomats in the Sri Lankan Foreign Services should be comprised of  35 percent of the total are among the passed resolutions.

Bangladesh To Export 50,000 Metric Tonnes Of Rice To Sri Lanka

Bangladesh has agreed to export 50,000 Metric Tonnes of Rice to Sri Lanka per the request made by the  local government .Sri Lankan Government has made  this decision to importing  the  rice from Bangladesh to avoid a possible  rice shortage in local market as the drought in the dry zone destroyed  the local paddy harvest .

Earlier Bangladeshi Government has decided to sell the rice US Dollars 493 per metric tonne but changed it's decision and agreed to the price US Dollars 450 per metric tonne produced by Sri Lankan Government.

Bangladeshi Government has agreed to export the said stock of rice to Sri Lanka although their policy is  not exporting rice to any country in view of  avoiding  a possible food shortage in the country.

Water Levels Of Kalu And Gin Rivers Are On The Rise -People Reside Nearby Areas Advised To Be In Alert

The water levels of the Kalu River(Sabaragamuwa Province)  and Gin River (Southern Province) are rising rapidly since yesterday(18) the Department Of Irrigation has announced.Due to this situation the department has advised the people reside in low lying areas close to these rivers to be in alert on this .

The water levels of Nilwala River has also risen but now it's depleting the sources said.Several areas in Galle and Kalutara Districts are under floods due to the continuous rain fall experienced since yesterday.