Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna

The speech is too brief to provide a substantive summary beyond its literal content. The member, Hon. Susanta Kumara Nawarathna, indicated to the Speaker his intention to pose a question during the parliamentary session on 20 February 2026. No further detail regarding the subject matter or nature of the question is contained in the excerpt provided.

Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna defended the government's extension of emergency powers in response to a major 2025 disaster, arguing it is necessary to expedite restoration of housing, schools, and health services, with over 20,000 houses requiring Rs. 500,000 grants for rebuilding. He rejected Opposition claims that compensation had not been paid, stating disbursements to eligible families have already begun, and challenged critics to identify any civil rights violations under the emergency. The speaker also announced that decentralised funds would be distributed equally among all 225 MPs across 25 Ministries, and affirmed that no 2026 Budget development projects would be suspended due to the disaster, citing additional measures including increased farmers' grants and cultivation support raised to Rs. 150,000 per hectare.

The Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna raised a second supplementary question regarding delays in the distribution of the second tranche of the fertilizer subsidy. He noted that while it had been agreed the first tranche would be released prior to the commencement of cultivation, some farmers have experienced delays in receiving the second tranche, and he sought clarification on the Agrarian Services Department's current measures to address this issue.

Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna raised concerns about illegal or arbitrary land filling practices affecting paddy lands in the Anuradhapura District, noting the issue had been repeatedly raised at the District Coordinating Committee level. He asked the Deputy Minister to clarify whether the established procedure governing the filling of paddy lands — previously bypassed by Pradeshiya and District Land Use Committees acting outside their authority — had been halted, revised, or corrected through ministerial intervention, or whether the irregular practices were still ongoing.

Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna posed a written question to the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation seeking detailed information regarding paddy land filling approvals in the Anuradhapura District for 2024-2025. Specifically, he requested the total extent of approved paddy lands, the names of individual landowners, the size of each approved plot, and the reasons for granting such approvals. He also requested that copies of the relevant official letters bearing the signature of the Commissioner General of Agrarian Development be tabled in Parliament, or an explanation provided if this information cannot be furnished.

Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna directed a question to the Deputy Minister regarding the implementation of agricultural modernisation initiatives, specifically referencing previous discussions about installing dryers and introducing new technology through the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB). The member sought clarification on whether additional institutions, beyond the PMB, are partnering with the Government to support these interventions.

Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna directed a multi-part question to the Prime Minister concerning the Government's paddy procurement arrangements for the 2025/2026 Maha season. He sought specific information on guaranteed purchase prices by variety, the mechanisms in place to ensure fair pricing for farmers, and the total funds allocated for the purchasing programme. Additionally, he requested details on the number of operational purchasing centres under the Paddy Marketing Board broken down by district, and an account of any new policy measures introduced to address problems experienced during the previous season's paddy procurement.