Swearing in ceremony of new State Ministers and Deputy Ministers commences

The swearing in ceremony of new State Ministers and Deputy Ministers commenced at the Presidential Secretariat a while ago. This would be the second phase of cabinet reshuffle effected by the government with the appointments of 18 new Cabinet Ministers yesterday. 

Parliamentarian Palitha Range Bandara has been appointed as State Minister of Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and Disaster Management while Dilip Wedaarachchi appointed as  State  Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy.

Following are the new Deputy Ministers & State Ministers along with their portfolios:

State Ministers

M.L.A.M. Hizbullah: State Minister of Highways and Road Development.

Mohan Lal Grero: State Minister of Higher Education and Cultural Affairs.

A.D. Champika Premadasa: State Minister of Plantation Industries.

Lakshman Senewiratne: State Minister of Science, Technology and Research, Skills Development and Vocational Training, and Hill Country Heritage.

Sriyani Wijewickrama: State Minister of Sports, Provincial Councils and Local Government.

Weerakumara Dissanayake: State Minister of Mahaweli Development.

Deputy Ministers 

Ameer Ali Shihabdeen: Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Rural Economy.

Dinesh Gankanda: Deputy Minister of Lands and Parliamentary Reforms.

Ranjan Ramanayake: Deputy Minister of Social Empowerment.

Karunarathna Paranawithana: Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Research, Skills Development and Vocational Training, and Hill Country Heritage

Sarathie Dushmantha: Deputy Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms.

Palitha Kumara Thewarapperuma: Deputy Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development.

Manusha Nanayakkara: Deputy Minister of Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment.

Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana: Deputy Minister of National Integration, Reconciliation and Official Languages.

H. M. M. Harees: Deputy Minister of Public Enterprise and Kandy Development.