150 state institutions fail to submit annual reports

About 150 state institutions have failed to submit their annual reports to Parliament, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said. 

Speaking during the second reading debate of the budget, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for public institutions to work under a joint management plan in order to achieve objectives in the budget while highlighting the fact that a huge sum is allocated for salaries of state sector employees and pensions.  

He said the country has failed to secure new large foreign income generating opportunities. 

“We need to venture into new areas in keeping with global trends. More capital should be directed to the agriculture sector, non-productive land use, defunct and declining essential industries. Meanwhile entrepreneurship, introduction of better administration strategies and relaxation of outdated laws will also be given priority in the budget,” he said.  

He said the proposal to amalgamate the Board of Investment and Export Development Board and create one active institution will bring in more investment into the country. 

“Both the BOI and the EDB have been dragging processes rather than expediting. We need investors to come and start without delays,” he said.

He said they welcome the move to focus on un-utilized state lands coming under the Land Reclamation Commission, State Plantation Corporation and Divisional Secretariats. 

The Prime Minister said releasing land will encourage youth entrepreneurship in agriculture. 

He said despite the Dew Gunesekare Report revealing unutilized land belonging to the plantation sector, to-date the report remains in the Treasury without any attention given.