Gazette on subject purview of ministers raises questions

An extraordinary gazette notification was issued on Friday (28) night, highlighting the subjects, functions and State institutions which come under relevant cabinet and non-cabinet ministers.

However, when analysing this gazette notification, several questions can be raised as to whether the people are being deceived. The reason for such questions to arise is because certain ministries do not have any State institutions allocated under them.

The Ministry of Defence which comes under the purview of the President has 21 State institutions under it including the Police Department, National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, National Media Centre and the Government Printers Department.

Twenty-two State institutions have been allocated under the Mahaweli Development and Environment Ministry, which is also headed by the President.

The Ministries of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development, Vocational Training and Skills Development and Youth Affairs, which are overlooked by the Prime Minister, have 24 State institutions falling under its purview.

According to this gazette notification, the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media has 48 institutions allocated under it. This is the largest number of State institutions which have been assigned to a single ministry. The Central Bank and all State banks fall under the purview of the Ministry of Finance and Mass Media, according to this gazette notification.

Minister of Public Enterprise, Kandyan Heritage and Kandy Development Lakshman Kiriella has four State institutions allocated to his ministry. These institutions include the Ceylon Ceramics Corporation, Kahagolla Engineering Service Company Ltd., BCC Lanka Ltd. and State Resources Management Corporation.

An interesting fact which is highlighted here is even though Minister Kiriella also holds office as the Minister of Kandyan Heritage and Kandy Development, no relevant institutions have been allocated to fall under his purview.

Seven State institutions have been given to Minister Ravi Karunanayake who is the Minister of Power, Energy and Enterprise Development. These include the Ceylon Electricity Board and companies controlled by it, the Lanka Electricity Company and the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority. Twenty-six agencies have been handed over to Minister Sajith Premadasa, who is the Minister of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs. The Department of Archaeology and Central Cultural Fund, which earlier fell under the purview of the Ministry of Education, have been handed over to Minister Sajith Premadasa according to this gazette.

The National Film Corporation and National Housing Development Board, as well as the State Engineering Corporation, fall under the purview of Minister Premadasa.

Minister Premadasa has also been handed over Galle Heritage, which was earlier a part of the subject of Southern Development.

Three State institutions have been handed over to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Wayamba Development. They are the Department of Buddhist Affairs, Buddha Sasana Fund, and the International Buddhist Centre.

Although Wayamba Development has also been handed over to Gamini Jayawickreme Perera, no relevant authorities have been allocated.

Chandrani Bandara who is the Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Dry Zone Development has only been allocated five institutions which pertain to Women and Child Affairs. No institutions have been allocated for the subject of Dry Zone Development.

While Sagala Ratnayake is the Minister of Ports and Shipping and Southern Development, four institutions which only support the subject of Ports and Shipping have been allocated, and no agencies nor institutions have been allocated for Southern Development.

Two authorities including the Technology Agency and its affiliates have been allocated under the non-Cabinet Ministry of Digital Infrastructure and IT.

Following another extraordinary gazette which was issued on 26 December, since the resignation of Minister Harin Fernando from the post of Minister of Digital Infrastructure Development, it has been allocated to Ajith P. Perera, who holds office as the non-Cabinet Minister of the relevant ministry.

The Science and Technology sphere, along with 19 institutions which were removed from Malik Samarawickrama, has been handed over to Sujeewa Senasinghe who is the non-Cabinet Minister of Science.

The sole institution allocated to Dr. Harsha De Silva, who is the non-Cabinet Minister of Economic Reform and Public Distribution, is the Institute of Policy Studies.