Cabinet green lights additional Rs. 63.68 m to complete National Social Development Institute project

The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday green lighted a proposal presented by the President in his capacity as the Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment Minister to pay a price fluctuation value of Rs. 63.68 million to the State Engineering Corporation. 

This decision was based on the recommendations of the Technical Appraisal Committee and the Procurement Committee appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers.

The approval comes in the wake of an earlier Cabinet decision on 26 July 2016, which sanctioned the construction of a building complex for the National Social Development Institute in the Seeduwa area, with an initial cost estimation of Rs. 1,000 million. 

The contract for this project was awarded to the State Engineering Corporation, with the construction initially scheduled for completion and handover by 2020.

However, due to the crisis situation that prevailed in the country, the construction timeline was extended from 2019 to 2023. 

The State Engineering Corporation has since requested a price variation in light of the increased costs of goods and materials.

“The additional Rs. 63.68 million will help address the increased construction costs and ensure the timely completion of the National Social Development Institute’s building complex, which is expected to play a significant role in social development and empowerment initiatives in Sri Lanka,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.