Agriculture Ministry to move out of Rs. 21 million per month building

Thursday, 19 December 2019 01:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet approves proposal to undo Yahapalanaya Govt.’s opulent decision
Agriculture Ministry to move back to Govijana Mandiraya
Previous Govt. signed five-year agreement for Rajagiriya building

By Chandani Kirinde

The Cabinet yesterday gave approval to undo one of the previous Government’s most opulent decisions – renting a new premise for the Agriculture Ministry at Rajagiriya at a monthly rent of Rs 21 million – and to facilitate the Ministry to move back to its old building.

Cabinet approval was given to the proposal for the Ministry to relocate to its original location, the Govijana Mandiraya in Battaramulla.

The Agriculture Ministry was moved to Rajagiriya by the previous Government, to make room at the Govijana Mandiraya for the newly set-up Parliamentary Oversight Committees to meet.

The previous Government signed the rental/lease agreement for the D.P.J. Towers at No. 288, Rajagiriya for a period of five years, from 4 August 2016 to 4 July 2021, following a Cabinet paper presented by then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

After renting the building at the hefty amount, it was not utilised for more than a year, due to lack of facilities, such as a computer network and other office equipment. The Ministry officially shifted to the building in August 2017.

The building rental has been subject to an investigation by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry probing corruption between 2015 and 2018, which was appointed by former President Maithripala Sirisena.