Pakistan -India dialogue on Kashmir should Not be for the sake of dialogue: Pakistan Foriegn Minister

Pakistan -India dialogue on Kashmir should

Not be for the sake of dialogue: Pakistan  Foriegn Minister

(APP): Foreign Minister, Hina Rabbani Khar has said that Pak-India dialogue on Kashmir should not be for the sake of dialogue but it should yield constructive results. “Pakistan believes in the resolution of Kashmir issue as per the wishes of the Kashmiris in the light of UN resolutions on Kashmir,” she said during her meeting with the JKLF leader, Yasin Malik at the State Guest House here Monday.

The Foreign Minister invited JKLF leaders for a meeting prior to her departure to attend Pak-India ministerial level dialogue to be held on July 27 in New Delhi.

Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Salman Bashir and JKLF leaders, Muhammad Rafique Dar and Saleem Haroon were also present.

Ms Khar added that genuine Kashmiri leaders should be part of the dialogue process on Kashmir issue, adding that the concerns showed by the Kashmiri leadership would be raised during the meeting with her Indian counterpart S M Krishna.

She, while talking to the Kashmiri leaders, said that Kashmir movement was real movement comprising sections of Kashmiri society and Pakistan fully supports the movement, adding the government was on the same page with the JKLF leadership on Kashmir.

The Minister said that concept of tripartite meeting on Kashmir was based on the suggestions of the Kashmiri leaders that no dialogue could produce results without the inclusion of genuine Kashmiri leaders in the dialogue process.

Earlier, Chairman JKLF, Yasin Malik approved of the dialogue process on Kashmir between Pakistan and India, adding that Kashmiris have concerns on the dialogue due to their non-inclusion in the process.

He said that India must announce time-bound dialogues in order to make the dialogue process credible and acceptable to the Kashmiris.

He demanded time-bound dialogue process, participation of the Kashmiri leadership in the dialogue process and recognition of the independence movement by India after the Kashmiris have unilaterally showed transition from a violent freedom movement to a non-violent movement.

Yasin Malik admired the CBMs initiatives between Pakistan and India, adding that the CBMs have created a healthy atmosphere in the region.

Later, the Foreign Minister had a one-to-one meeting with the Kashmiri leader.

‘Sri Lanka Expo’ in March 2012

‘Sri Lanka Expo’ in March 2012

‘Sri Lanka Expo - 2012’ exhibition is scheduled to be held from 28th to 30th March, 2012 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Exhibition Center, Colombo, Sri Lanka, under the theme, “Lets join hands with Sri Lanka, the Asian Hub.”

The Export Development Board says that organizing the event after 15 years has been appreciated by many quarters.
This year’s exhibition would ensure a platform to exhibit a large number of high quality goods and services of Sri Lanka, via more than 300 exporters and the participation of about 1000 foreign buyers are expected.

According to the Export Development Board, the principal objective of the event is to introduce and promote Sri Lanka as a commercial hub that enables a promising environment for trade affairs, investment opportunities and tourist industry.

Sri Lanka also looks forward to use this exhibition as a strategic event in achieving the export target of $ 15 billion by 2015.

Products related to the industries of tea, garment, rubber, information technology, gem and jewelry, food and beverages, spices, coconut, electricity, and services of ship building and repairing will be showcased at the exhibition.

Kalubowitiyana export qulity Tea for Sri lankan concumers

Kalubowitiyana export  qulity  Tea Sri lankan concumers

By Suneetha Perera



Mrs.  Malani Peiris , Secretary, MPI  is  opening the Marketing Division and

and Sales Centre.      Also in the picture  is  Mr. Donald Abeysundara,  Chairman  of KTFL.

 Kalubowitiyana Tea Factory Company Ltd.,under Ministry of Plantation Industries, the pioneer for production of CTC tea in Sri Lankan opened the Marketing Division and Sales Centre at Pelawatte, Battaramulla on 6th May 2011.

The vision of President, Mahinda Rajapakse ‘s Mahinda Chintana and the idea of Minster of Plantation Industries Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Kalubowitiyana Tea Factory Ltd. Introduced Export Quality “Single Origin Tea” (unblended) to the Local Market.

There are 7 Labels of “ Kalubowitiyana Tea” according to your taste.

Single OriginTea

CTC 

1. KING ‘S TEA

2 QUEEN ‘S TEA

3  BROWN LABEL 6 RED LABEL

ORTHODOX

4 ORANGE LABEL

5 YELLOW LABEL

6 RED  LABEL

7 WHITE LABEL

Gilani for Due acknowledgment of Pakistan’s Share of Successes in War on Terror Terms Democracy in Pakistan Crucial f or Regional Stability

Gilani  for Due acknowledgment of Pakistan’s Share of  Successes in

War  on Terror Terms Democracy in Pakistan Crucial f or Regional Stability

Pakistan appreciates that UK realizes crucial role of Pakistan’s in the peaceful settlement of Afghanistan along the lines that no negative fall out effects Pakistan or any other country of the region after the scaling down of international forces .Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani acknowledged this support in a meeting with Mark Philip Sedwill the UK’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan who called on him, here, today. Prime Minister asserted Pakistan’s  stance that West should draw  a  clear cut  road map and  framework  for  an Afghan led  solution ... While elaborating upon international cooperation  on war against terrorism  the prime Minister pointed out that despite high level of cooperation from Pakistan including intelligence sharing due recognition has not been accorded to Pakistan for its share in the  victories  in the war on terror but when ever there is any failure the onus is  directed towards Pakistan. 

He called upon international community to consider Pakistan as   partner in real sense having share in both successes and failures.  He said that the impact of this attitude was contrary to the support that Pakistan requires to strengthen democracy in Pakistan which was vital in defeating terrorism. Only democracy, he added, can help Pakistan in sustaining political support and stabilize the economy much needed to confront the security challenges which threaten international peace.
Mr. Sedwill assured that the British government is fully cognizant of Pakistan’s concerns in the scenario for settlement of Afghan issue .and would like to work more closely with Pakistan. UK he mentioned clearly understands Pakistan’s point of view as well as its strengths and influence for peaceful settlement of Afghanistan solution.  He further added that call for enhancing Pakistan’s trade with EU and beyond should be seen as a strategic issue rather than a simple economic issue. Prime Minister Gilani further added that cross border incursions were being carried out by the elements who do not want Pakistan and Afghanistan to come  closer and work together  for stability in the region.  He emphasized for checking these incursions to avoid derailment of close brotherly relations between the two countries, While referring to two tier Joint Commission on Reconciliation that has  been set up by  Pakistan and Afghanistan he said that inaugural meeting of the first  tier level of the commission led by the chief executives of two countries was held in Islamabad had helped to establish better understanding on both sides. The first  meeting of the Joint Commission’s  second tier level which was held in Kabul on June 29th this year also showed positive outcome  he added. The Prime Minister congratulated Mr. Sedwill on his appointment to his present position. He expressed confidence that his appointment that would be helpful in promoting peace in the region due to his knowledge and understanding of both the countries acquired through serving in both Afghanistan and Pakistan during his diplomatic career. The Prime Minister called upon the international community to focus on stability and peace in Afghanistan in the post 2014 scenario as  the region can not afford Afghanistan plunge into chaos  again. He said that Pakistan was trying to fight the menace of terrorism despite heavy odds but need international support to sustain its commitment. Dwelling upon parameters of Pakistan’s policy on Afghanistan, he said “ our position is very clear ,we want a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan through  a smooth transition. Pakistan he added believes in non –interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs. The Prime Minister emphasized that the West needs to have a clear roadmap and hoped that the time  before the  Bonn Conference would be  utilized to the maximum to draw a strategy that ensures peaceful and prosperous  Afghanistan after the  possible wit drawl of ISAF forces in 2014.  

President presenting netball shooter Tharjini Sivalingam with a special cash award

 The President Mahinda Rajapaksha  presenting netball shooter Tharjini Sivalingam with a special cash award of Rs. 500,000 for her excellent performance at the recently concluded World Netball Championship.

Peace Economic Dividend

 Peace Economic Dividend
http://www.lbo.lk/fullstory.php?nid=103344303
Sri Lanka is seeing a peace dividend in the form of lower interest rates, taxes, inflation and higher capital expenditure after a 30-year war ended, Treasury secretary P B Jayasundera said.

He said defence expenditure which was about 5.0 percent of gross domestic product during the war years, has now dropped to 3.0 percent. "We managed the budget under stress, because the country was at war," Jayasundera told members of the Joint Apparel Association Forum, an industry body.
"So we had fairly high defence expenditure, sometimes as high as five percent of GDP. It has now dropped to three."
Spending Trends
In 2010, defence spending fell to 190 billion rupees or 3.4 percent of GDP as the economy expanded compared to from 3.9 percent of GDP in 2009.
"So this number is going to go down, because we no longer spend money on aircraft, buying ammunition or military hardware," Jayasundera said.

"Probably we have to build little bit capital stock to have fairly high tech security. "But since there is no war threatening the existence of the country itself, we can have planned defence expenditure like any other country which will also be conducive for national development."
For 2011 defence spending was originally slated at 214 billion rupees or 3.4 percent of forecasted GDP. But spending was upped last month by another 20 billion rupees to build a new defence headquarters, taking the share up to about 3.7 percent.

However the government is selling land where military facilities were earlier sited, to raise funds.
Sri Lanka's citizens have taken up arms against the state three times since independence from British rule, amid a steady erosion of economic freedoms, civil liberties and rule of law.
Sections of the Sinhalese majority have engaged in armed rebellions twice and the Tamil minority once. However analysts say since 1977, a series of economic freedoms have been restored, leading to higher growth.
Rebuilding
Jayasundera said the government was now investing heavily in infrastructure and re-building the war torn areas.
"Where do these savings go now? It is going for development," Jayasundera said.
The government is investing rapidly, people can see it. All over where you go you can see a bridge and irrigation scheme; Jaffna KKS (a town in the north) or down south."
The government has maintained capital spending to about 6.0 percent of gross domestic product. This year about 1.1 billion rupees would be spent on roads alone.
A finance ministry report said earlier that the military itself was now engaged in reconstruction activities. Health expenditure previously used to treat injured soldiers, were now diverted to the general public.
He said in the last budget the government has abolished a series of 'nuisance' taxes resulting in a 15 billion rupee revenue loss. He said as a result, transaction costs related to a series of taxes were no longer there for businesses, not counting the nuisance value.
"Road barriers are not there," he said. "Interest rates have come down. War risk is not there. Now these nuisance taxes are not there.
"No separate provincial national taxes. So I am sure this saving must be somewhere. This saving is with the economy now. So it has to produce the real activities."
Sri Lanka's inflation is now on the high side of single digits and lending rates in the low double digits.

THE BOOK LAUNCH- Mass Media & Social ConsciousnessBook

THE BOOK LAUNCH

Mass Media & Social ConsciousnessBook
By Suneetha Perera

(Special Correspondence-
Sri Lanka Today)

The book “Mass Media & Social Consciousness” the written by Journalist, Chandana Wijekoon was launched on 22nd June 2011 at Auditorium in National Library and Documentation Centre, Independence Avenue, Colombo 07 , Sri Lanka.
Chandana Wijekoon is working as senior journalist at Associated News Papers Ceylon Ltd., (Lake House). He has written & published 03 books of Mass Media. He has lot of experience as a journalist.
In attendance at this book launch a number of important representatives of Government, Diplomatic Mission of other Foreign Representatives, Colonel Khurram Hassnain Defence Advisor, Sri Lanka & Maldives (High Commission for Pakistan), Lieutenant Colonel Khorram Lajevardi, Military attaché (Embassy of the Islamic Republic Iran), Mr. Hokuto Kaya. 1st Secretary, (Embassy for Japan) and lot of journalists of Media Organizations.
The Chief Guest was Mr, Dew Gunasekera, Hon. Senior Minister of Human Resource and Chief Secretary of Sri Lanka Communist Party. The Chair person was Professor Sunanda Mahendra and also Dr. Tudor Weerasinghe, Rector, Sri Pali Campus, Colombo University , Senior Jounarlist Mr. Mohan Samaranayake, Chairman, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation addressed this special occasion.

Talent |Identitification camp in Kilinochchi

Talent Identitification camp in Kilinochchi

The Talent Identification Camp which is jointly conducted by the Ministry of Sports and the Department of Sports Development is held these days, from the 15th to the 17th of July 2011.




 Minister of Sports, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Hon. Namal Rajapakse, Member of Parliament and Ms. Tharjani Shivalingam, Co-Captain of the Sri Lanka Netball team being welcomed for the Talent Identification Camp.






 Ms. Tharjani Shivalingam conducting a session for possible netball players at the Talent Identification Camp.









 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sri Lanka's North records highest Economic Growth

Sri Lanka's North records highest Economic Growth

Sri Lanka's Northern Province which was badly hit by war has had the highest rate of economic growth last year The North's gross domestic product grew 22.0 percent last year, against 12.1 percent in 2009, the Central Bank said in an analysis of provincial GDP.

The Eastern Province, which had also been affected by war, came fourth with a growth of 18.7 percent after the North-Central Province which grew 20.3 percent and Sabaragamuwa Province which grew 19.1 percent.
In 2009, it was the eastern province which had the highest rate of growth among provinces, expanding 13.4 percent.
The Bank said that in line with improvements in country’s economic environment, all the provinces reported a double digit growth rate last year. Its data showed a sharp growth in industry in the Northern Province, which has increased to 14.2 percent of GDP in 2010 from 9.3 percent in 2009.
The services sector has expanded faster in the east, rising to 48.4 percent of GDP in 2010 from 43.6 percent in 2009.
"As in the past, the Western province contributed significantly to GDP in the country, as most of the economic activities that relate to sea port, air ports, banking and financial institutions and business centers are still centralized in the province," the statement said.

Jaffna becoming popular for dairy products

Jaffna becoming popular for dairy products
 The Yalco Milk Collecting Centre Yoghurt factory, first of its kind, was set up under Uthuru Wasanthaya Programme in Jaffna..

This project was set up in Thirunelweli in Jaffna as a pilot project under the instructions of Minister Basil Rajapaksa after the end of the war with financial and technical assistance from the Economic Development Ministry to popularize milk productions in the peninsula.
Around 1000 families are benefitted from this project as people from adjoining Nallur, Kopai and other areas are selling milk daily to the factory thereby keeping the factory functioning successfully.

Jaffna famed for agricultural and fishery activities, is now gradually becoming popular for dairy products as well due to the vision of Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Srilanka media team meet infomation and Brodcasting minister at islamabad

 Pakistan media  tour
 Srilanka  media  team  meet infomation and  Brodcasting   minister at islamabad

By  Chandana  Wijekoon  from  Pakistan

infomation and  Brodcasting minister Dr.Firdous Ashiq Awan meet  sriLanka media  team

Pakistan media tour-- Srilanka media team meet Govener of Punjab

Pakistan media  tour

Srilanka  media  team  meet Governor  Punjab
  By  Chandana Wijekoon From  Lahor

Sri  Lanka media  team  meet Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa.

Chandana Wijekoon(Lake house) handed over to Punjab Governor special book about LTTE teralist activities in  Sri lanka  last 30 years published  by Government Information  Department  in  Sri  lanka

Sri Lanka to build new 'tourist city' north of capital

Sri Lanka to build new 'tourist city' north of capital
Sri Lanka to build new 'tourist city' north of capital Sri Lanka will build a new 'tourist city' in the Western coastal city of Katana north of the capital Colombo, which may draw 1.5 billion US dollars in foreign investments in its first phase.

The development will have four 5-star hotels with 2,300 rooms, an exhibition and convention centre and two shopping malls and be sited on a 80 hectare block of state land. A firm called Asian Resorts & Consortium has been given approval by the cabinet of ministers to conduct a feasibility study.
Information minister Keheliya Rambukwella said it was probably a foreign firm, but exact details were not available with him at the time.

Sri Lanka's tourism development authority has also offered a series of islands off the Western coastal city of Puttalam for private investment. Land has also been offered in the east coast in Kuchchaveli.

Pakistan’s exports to Sri Lanka stood at $ 283.142 m last year: Amin Fahim

Pakistan’s exports to Sri Lanka stood

at $ 283.142 m last year:  Amin Fahim( Minister of  commerce in  Pakistan )  

Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim said Thursday that during 2010, exports from Pakistan to Sri Lanka stood at US $ 283.142 million, while Pakistan imported goods worth  US $ 54.602  million from Sri Lanka. This was stated by the Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim, while addressing a dinner party held  in honour of the visiting Sri Lankan trade delegation headed by its Minister for Industries and Commerce, Rishad Bahtiudeen. The pace of growth was encouraging for both the countries, he said adding Pakistan’s exports are mainly rice, fish, cotton yarn and pharmaceutical goods etc. while imports are limited mainly to tea, fruits and seeds etc.

The minister said creating awareness among the business communities of the two countries about the benefits available to them from the Pak-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is an effective way to leveraging bilateral and regional trading arrangements.  

Makhdoom Amin Fahim termed the 10th Joint Economic Commission session between Pakistan and Sri Lanka as a welcome development and expressed, Pakistan looks forward to progress on all outstanding commercial and economic initiatives between the two countries. 

Both the counties may extract maximum trade and commercial benefits from the bilateral, regional and multilateral arrangements for the betterment of their people, Amin Fahim stated. 

-.-.-.-.-

Sri lanka media team in Lahor

 Sri lanka  media  team  in Lahore

By Chandana wijekoon Ffrom pakistan

 

 

Lahore City

Lahore is 2^nd largest city of Pakistan, being Pakistan’s industrial and cultural base.  It was wondering it’s always like this!  It was magnificent to see such a splendid scene.  On every electricity pole, there were handing baskets of flowers, different kinds of flowers in many colours.  The middle of the road was also decorated with different kind of flowers.  The Lahore city’s roads were decorated by the Park and Horticulture Authority (PHA) .  According to the information the PHA had almost completed the beautification of the roads at the cost of 1.2 million Pakistani Rupees.  there were more than 700 flower baskets which had been hung from the electricity poles on the roadsides.

Lahore Museum

This museum is the oldest and one of the best in Pakistan.  It was founded on in 1864.  The museum’s first curator was John Lockwood Kipling, the father of Rudyard Kipling, the famous writer who wrote “Kim”.

The different categories of displays ranged from coin collections and paintings to sculptures and religious art.  Among these collections are notable examples of Gandaharan sculpture.  Including the outstanding and deservedly famous bronze sculpture of the “Fasting Buddha” , which is estimated to have been made around the 2^nd century BC in the Lahore Museum collection there were also Thangka painting, statues from Nepal, and one model of a temple from India.

Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort has some similarity to the Red Fort of Delhi and also the Red Fort at Agra in India,  all being built for a dual purpose, as fortifications as well as royal dwellings.   This masterpiece of architecture is another creation of the Mughal Emperors.  It covered a vast area, and was adorned with carvings in the red sandstone and the marble.  There were many colourful works of art to be seen, such a painted frescoes depicting royal pleasures.  Because of this lavish ornamentation, it was easy to see it as being more of a palace than a fortress.  Each succeeding Mughal Emperor had added their own touches to this palatial Fort from 1180 to until the beginning of the British Raj.

Among the places we saw that day were the Alamgiri Gate, Shah Burj Gate, Hathi Paer, Sesh Mahal (palace of mirrors), Naulakha Bunga(so named because it cost Shah Jahan nine lakh, or 900,000 rupees to build).  Khilwat Khana, Paien Bagh and more places.

Sri Lanka media team visited Taxila Museum-Taxila Archeological Site – The World Heritage

Sri Lanka  media  team  visited  Taxila Museum

Sri Lanka  media  team  visited  Taxila Museum in  Pakistan. They  also  visited many Buddhist Archeological sites in  Lahore. 

  By Chandana  Wijekoon from  Pakistan  

Taxila Archeological Site – The World Heritage

Taxila, the ancient city of Gandhara, is now an archaeological site under the sun.  Archaeologists discovered in their excavations here the city ruins, artifacts, coins, pottery, ornaments, and many other objects that could be traced back to the 6^th century BC.  The archaeological museum stands at the entrance-the gate to the ancient city.  The two-story building nestles peacefully in the garden amid natural surroundings.  It was inaugurated in 1928.

At the entrance hall, the genuine votive stupa brought from an outdoor monastery was placed there.  the entrance hall and its both wings contain and showcase many glass shelves, cases, and cupboards of Buddhist art of Gandhara and sculptures, Buddha images, statues, heads, and busts, Bodhisatva statues, artifacts ancient tools, weaponry, pottery, rare coins, archaeological objects and evidence excavated from the sites around.

Remarkably, the stone relief tablets depict delicately the story of Lord Buddha-from his birth of prince Siddharatha when his mother Sirimahamaya stood delivering him from her belly, his leaving from secular world in search for truths, his enlightenment, his first preaching, and at the end his Great Nirvana.  the museum also displays the replica of the Fasting Buddha in his self-mortification-its original is kept in the Lahore Museum.  The Buddha images or busts, whether intact, defective, broken, or impaired by the so-called White Huns, are always the objects of worship and great respect for us, Buddhists.

Taxila in the old days was arguably like a global university where students largely from the age of 16 from the Indian sub-continent, Central Asia, Persia, and the land beyond came for higher learning-linguistics, arts, Dharma, scriptures, the art of government, and other studies.  It may metaphorically be compared to Oxford, Cambridge, or Harvard where students from all over the world prefer to attend for further studies. 

Under the White-blue sky and hot sun, Dharmmarajika monastery stands 3 kilometers east of the museum.  One part of the complex may be called the stupa area, the other the monastery proper.  However, only the ruins now remain, the main stupa was erected over the chamber of the Buddha’s relics, deposited by Kind Asoka the Great,  it was said.  In the 19^th century, the western face of the stupa was somehow broken and the relics were stolen.  Dharmmarajika was named after the designation of King Asoka, namely Dharmmaraj-the king who deeply held faith in Dharma.

In 1917 a casket was dug out here, it evidently contained the relics of Lord Buddha.  The viceroy of British India then presented the relics to the Buddhists of Sri Lanka, which has been since enshrined as the Buddha’s of Sri Lanka, which has been since enshrined as the Buddha’s tooth, contained in a case and covered by a seven-tier golden Chedi, at the Temple of the Tooth in Candy or Sirivattanapura in Sri Lanka.

Most of the major artifacts and objects discovered in the excavations at Dharmmarajika have been kept at the museum.  One silver scroll carries the inscription in Kharoshti that the relics were those of Lord Buddha himself, the scribe was a Bactrian., and reads at the end “ the present king, king of kings, the son of heaven the Kushana”

Jaulian Monastery stands 7 kilometers northeast , of the museum, perched on a hill of some 92 meters high.  Large stupas no longer exist, only the ruins of the walls of the building and many sculptured Buddha images and his major monks, sadly most of the statues were impaired at the hands of the White Huns.  Merely a few survived the demolition intact.

A meditating Buddha statue though with impaired head, chest, and hands have a holed navel.  It was believed this statue was holy with the pwer of blessing for good health.  Faithfuls like to place their finders in that holed navel when praying and wishing for good health and against certain bodily ailments. 

The ancient city of Taxila itself had shown us the ultimate truth-the three characteristics of component thing-namely, existence , transformation, and extinction.

Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum meet Sri lanka journalists in Karachi

Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum meet  Sri lanka  journalists in Karachi

 

Majyd Aziz, Founder Chairman, Abdul Rauf Tabani, Founder President, Iqbal Shekhani, Founder Treasurer,Tarek Khan, Farrukh Ansari, and Amin Gaziani, Pakistan Sri Lanka Business Forum with journalists fromSri lanka and Maldives at a meeting in Karachi on July 04-2011. The Sri Lanka journalists are: Dinesh Weerawansa,Siri Ranasinghe, Malinda Seneviratne, Chandana Wijekoon, and Abdullah Mohamed from Maldives .

PSLBF  web:http://www.paklankaforum.com

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Sri Lankans' consume more rice, less flour 

Lankans’ annual rice production has gone up making the country 117% self sufficient in rice due to continuous fertilizer subsidy programme continued by the government for the last six years.

As a result of the rapid increase in local food production mainly the staple food - rice , the authorities said that the annual per-capita wheat flour consumption has come down rapidly. it has now come down to 28kg in 2011 from its earlier records of 41Kg.                              

 

The Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella told the media that the Government has taken  steps to uplift the local food productions as the country was earlier known as  a flour eating nation though Sri Lanka does not produce wheat.
Rice Production has reached the targets set by the Agriculture Ministry and the country did not import rice despite the island-wide floods experienced in January. On the contrary Sri Lanka exports several nutritious varieties of rice to Middle East and Europe at present.
“As we are self sufficient in rice a campaign held to popularize rice consumption has produced encouraging results” said the minister
Minister also refuted the claim that locally produced rice is contaminated with arsenic.
Rice Research and Development Institute and Registrar of Pesticides have conducted several scientific tests in this regard and confirmed that arsenic was not detected in rice varieties.

Jaffna Paddy Cultivation revived 

Paddy cultivation has been revived in the North after two decades. Accordingly, 11,000 hectares of abandoned paddy lands will be cultivated in the forthcoming harvesting season. The fertilizer subsidy and other incentives being provided by the government for paddy cultivation have resulted in this revival.

2,500 hectares have been cultivated with vegetables in Jaffna alone. Due to terrorist activities onion cultivation in Jaffna was confined only to 200 hectares.  Presently 1,200 hectares are being cultivated with onion.
In addition to this another 1,200 hectares have been cultivated with banana. The extent of land cultivated with grapes amounts to 50 hectares. The Assistant Agrarian Services Commissioner of Jaffna,  Patric Niranjan said that 13 Agrarian Services Offices have been re-opened in Jaffna to assist the farmers

Pakistan's Prime Minister meets Sri Lankan Minister for Industry and Commerce

Pakistan's Prime Minister meets Sri Lankan Minister for Industry and Commerce

Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani has desired to further enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and welcomed the convening of the Joint Economic Commission in Colombo, to be held after a gap of six years. He stressed that the JEC should meet every year to expand the scope of bilateral economic and commercial relations. Both countries have been engaged in concerted efforts to increase bilateral trade since the signing of the Free Trade Agreement. Pakistan’s exports to Sri Lanka have touched US$ 300 million mark while imports are around US$ 50 million.

The Prime Minister while talking to the Sri Lankan delegation headed by Mr. Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister for Industry & Commerce at PM House this afternoon said that Pakistan looks forward to greater cooperation in the fields of Education and Science & Technology. While expressing his appreciation for high quality of the Sri Lankan gems and jewelry sector, the Prime Minister desired technical assistance to develop Pakistan’s gems and jewelry industry with the same professionalism as in Sri Lanka. Pakistan was happy to continue to extend scholarships to Sri Lankan students under the Pakistan Technical Porgramme. The Prime Minister announced six scholarships for students from Northern Part of Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan Minister specially thanked the Prime Minister and the Government of Pakistan for sending the precious and sacred Buddha relics to Sri Lanka which elicited profound interest of the people of Sri Lanka. The President, the Prime Minister and the people have greatly appreciated this friendly gesture. The Prime Minister was happy to note the enthusiasm with which the people of Sri Lanka have responded to the Ghandara artifacts exhibition for which Pakistan had sent Buddha’s relics to Colombo last month. The Buddha relics were displayed on the occasion of 2600th anniversary of the attainment of enlightment by Buddha.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Minister on Sri Lanka’s successful campaign against terrorism. He said that Pakistan too has achieved a number of successes in the war against terror and arrested or killed main terrorist leaders, yet splinter groups are still engaged in sabotage activities. He was confident that Pakistan would soon succeed in stamping out this menace from the country. The Sri Lankan Minister expressed his Government’s deep appreciation for Pakistan’s unstinted support to Sri Lanka in the fight against terrorism. The Minister who belongs to the Northern Part of Sri Lanka was confident that after 17 years of war against terrorism, his country was now embarked on rehabilitation and sustained peace. He said that Sri Lanka looked forward to support and cooperation from Pakistan.

The Prime Minister extended an invitation to the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to visit Pakistan. He was looking forward to meet Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Maldives at the next SAARC Summit in November this year.

In the morning, the Sri Lankan Minister held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs who also hosted a lunch in his honour and later addressed a joint press conference.

Air Chief Marshal Jayalath Weerakody High Commission of Sri Lanka, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mrs. Hina Rabbani Khar, Secretaries Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Economic Affairs Division and other senior officers were also present in the meeting with the Prime Minister.