SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka says Sri Lankan may face close to 10-hour power cuts a day if steps are not taken to systematically import 2.5 million tons of coal to Sri Lanka at the beginning of September.

Ranawaka revealed that a cabinet paper had been presented to import coal till 2025. “They complain we do not have the necessary funds to import for a few months but are presenting cabinet papers to import for 2025 at once,” he said.

If the procurement process for coal is not carried out in a proper manner, the consequences will be devastating, he warned.

The construction work of the New Manning Market Complex at Peliyagoda was inaugurated today under the aegis of Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka. The market complex is constructed in a 25 acre land belonging to the Urban Development Authority. The complex is estimated to cost Rs 4 billion.

Arguing that Sri Lanka needs a new breed of patriotism, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka said that the Megapolis Development Plan is such a patriotic project.

He made this observation today at the launch of the project under the aegis of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Independence Square.

The Megapolis programme is a 15 year project which aims to transform the entire western province into a well planned enclave.

Ranawaka revealed that, under the project, the Manning Town market will be relocated to Peliyagoda starting tomorrow.

He added that the government was attempting to create a affluent but humane city in the Western Province of Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the government's aim was to create all facilities available in any major city to promote business opportunities within this Megapolis.

Responding to Minister Daya Gamage's recent comments on appropriation of lands for the Veras Ganga Project in Boralesgamuwa, Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka said that he will not let anyone interfere with the Megapolis Plan irrespective of their position and powers.

Speaking to a vernacular newspaper, Ranawaka said that he will not be intimidated by those who have the power of ministerial positions, financial capability or the media.

Certain people feel that their lands should not be included in the project simply because they are ministers of the government, Ranawaka alleged, adding that the law should be equal to everyone.

Pointing out that 170 lands have been appropriated for the project, Ranawaka said that most of these lands will be handed over the the original owners after the completion of the development work.

Ranawaka added that the land was appropriated for flood control, and not to take revenge from any individual.

Minister of Primary Industries Daya Gamage recently hit out at Ranawaka for following the policies of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa in appropriating lands for development projects.

Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka said that certain individuals are behaving as if the former government is still in power.

Speaking to Asian Mirror on the defeat of exchange heads of six ministries under Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe at the Western Provincial Council, Ranawaka said that they are not prepared to hold ministries as “hostages”.

The expenditure heads were defeated by 23 to 45 votes. The UNP supported the expenditure heads while UPFA members, the JVP and the Democratic Party voted against.

Ranawaka said that they will inform the President of the matter and take a decision in the coming days. The Western Provincial was elected some time back, before the people gave a different mandate to President Maithripala Sirisena and the Parliament, Ranawaka said. The mandate given to the WPC does not show the current situation in the country, he said.

Warnasinghe is the Media Spokesman of the Jathika Hela Urumaya. The JHU contested the recent general election under the UNP ticket.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader Udaya Gammanpila today claimed that Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka was behind an attempt to discredit him by having him arrested on trumped-up charges of forging documents.

Speaking at a press conference this morning, Gammanpila said that a ‘fabricated claim’ has been made against him, alleging that he forged documents to cheat an Australian named Brian Shaddick of his shares in a company.

Gammanpila claimed that the said company went bankrupt in 2005 and therefore this story cannot be true in any way. He also claimed that Shaddick has a personal grudge on him which made him come out with such an allegation.

The claim against Gamanpila was first made during the recent election campaign. A police investigation was also initiated on this.

Singapore will handle the revised master plan for Sri Lanka's Megapolis plan, The Straits Times said quoting Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. He also said that Sri Lanka wants another master plan for Trincomalee to be prepared by Singapore.

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"Singapore's Cesma did the planning in 2004, but it was not followed up by President Rajapaksa," Wickremesinghe said, referring to the former Housing and Development Board subsidiary which later morphed into Surbana Jurong. "Now, we have got them to revise the plan. It will be available by the end of the year. We also want them to do the master plan for Trincomalee."

Megapolis is an ambitious plan to develop the country's Western Province, into a massive urban agglomeration.

Sri Lanka's Western Province accounts for nearly half of the nation's economy, with the other eight provinces accounting for the rest. Colombo's vision is to build a regional business and financial hub, complete with high-rise developments, recreational areas and shopping districts.

It also wants to develop the region around Trincomalee, a port city and headquarters of the Eastern Province that draws its attractiveness from the circular and deep natural harbour.

Indian and Japanese companies have shown keen interest in investing around the strategic port city, where both are putting up thermal power units. Colombo, it would appear, would like Singapore to do for the Western Province and Trincomalee what it is doing in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh, where it is helping in the design and construction of a new capital. Trincomalee also has immense tourism potential, The Straits Times pointed out.

S. Chandra Das, Singapore's Non-Resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, said: "The Sri Lankans are in contact with Surbana Jurong to work with their relevant authority to do the planning for Western Province and Trincomalee.

"We leave it to the individual companies here to decide what role they have to take."

Mr Wickremesinghe said Colombo would also seek to open Free Trade Agreement talks with Singapore after upgrading an FTA with India into a comprehensive trade and technological partnership, as well as concluding an FTA with China.

"The sequencing of the FTAs is because we have limited staff to negotiate," he said.

(With inputs from The Straits Times)

The new Sri Lankan government has said it will continue with a China-funded multi-billion-U.S. dollar mega port city project in order to develop capital Colombo.

Minister of Megapolis and Western Development Patali Champika Ranawaka told Xinhua Tuesday in an interview that the government hopes to transform the country into a "smart and technologically advanced nation" in the coming five years and the port city project will be included in its development plans.

The 1.4 billion-U.S. dollar project, which is funded by China Communications Construction Company Ltd. (CCCC), was suspended in March after concerns were raised over some aspects of the project.

However, Ranawaka said the government is now looking into these aspects and hopes to continue with the project as part of its megapolis plan.

"Once certain issues are addressed, then no one can challenge such a huge development project in the city of Colombo," he said.

"We are right now addressing the issues and we have asked the project organization to conduct a proper environment assessment and also we are addressing the legal and social issues. We are positive the project will continue," the minister added.

The new national government, which was sworn in following the victory of the United National Party (UNP) at a parliamentary election last month, has also said China is currently its biggest investor as the nation has helped develop Sri Lanka, especially after the end of a 30-year civil war.

"A lot of trade and cultural partnership existed in the past between Sri Lanka and China which has lasted for decades. We have developed a very serious link between China and Sri Lanka which has just kept growing. Now China is the largest investor here in Sri Lanka and also in time to come they will be the largest bilateral partner as far as trade, commerce and investment is concerned," the minister said.

The new government has also vowed to transform the country and make it technologically advanced in the coming years, and Ranawaka said that in order to do this, they hope to attract more foreign investors.

"We are focusing on transforming this country into a smart nation. The sole aim of this megapolis is to transform the western province into a big environmentally sustainable city. We will establish a new legal authority to do this," he said.

(Xinhua)

Ministers Patali Champika Ranawaka and Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe were appointed to the Constitutional Council.

Ranawaka was named as the President's representative of the council while Rajapakshe was appointed as the Prime Minister's representative.

Thereby, five members of the Constitutional Council have now been named. The Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader were automatically appointed to the council when they were elected to their respective offices.

Two other MPs and three civil society members are yet to be appointed.

Three lawyers filed a contempt of court case with the Supreme Court against Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka a short while ago.

The three lawyers, Roshan Devinda Ranaweera, Ranjith Ranasinghe and Nimal Weerakkody stated that the Minister made a speech on July 26 in which he made a statement contemptuous of court.

The Minister had allegedly made this comment at the Ape Gama premises during the launch of his election campaign and it was telecasted in a local TV station, the petitioners said.

Ranawaka, the IGP and the Attorney General have been named as respondents in the petition.