SL in need of a well-defined ministerial structure: President

The government will seek external assistance in designing a new Agricultural Ministry by studying similar models in Thailand and Malaysia, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said. 

Addressing the 117th Annual Session of the Institution of Engineers yesterday (25), highlighted the need to modernize the Agriculture Ministry and emphasized the need for a well defined ministerial structure for progress. 

The President said the next stage of modernization agriculture will include utilizing of previously unused land, particularly in Mahaweli area and plantations covering approximately 700,000 to million acres. 

The establishment of a University for Agricultural Technology by combining all agricultural research institutes and getting the active participation of the private sector is among the plans in the coming years. 

The President also announced the amalgamation of the plantation industries and agricultural sectors, which have been under separate governing bodies since 1970. 

President acknowledged the need for engineering technology in these areas, noting that without it, progress would be challenging. 

President Wickremesinghe encouraged the growth of engineering talent to meet the future demands, suggesting that the country should double its estimates to account for engineers going abroad.