PARLIAMENT

Hon. Sudath Balagalla,—To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation,— (1)

(a) Is he aware that —

(i) the foundation stone was laid in the year 2004 in the land adjacent to the Bank of Ceylon in Mahiyanganaya town for the construction of an agricultural sales centre;

(ii) the incumbent President, as the then Minister of Agriculture, took the preliminary measures to take over the above-mentioned land to the Department of Agrarian Services;

(iii) requests had been made for it by the Mahiyanganaya Agrarian Services Committee and farmers;

(iv) approval has been given under the letter No. 4/10/75144 of the Land Commissioner General to grant the abovementioned land on preferential lease basis to Mr. Y.M. Rathnapala, who is residing at 48^th Post, Arawatta, Mahiyanganaya; and

(v) state lands are granted on preferential basis only on compelling and special grounds?

(b) Will he state —

(i) the reason for selecting a person who is over 80 years of age to transfer the abovementioned land;

(ii) whether he is aware that, when alienating state lands, the availability of sufficient lands for government needs and the physical fitness of the selected recipient are taken into consideration, and that state lands are not usually given to a person over 60 years of age;

(iii) whether the abovementioned considerations were taken into account when granting the said land; and

(iv) whether the approval for the lease referred to above will be revoked?

(c) If not, why?