The 2nd General Assembly Meeting of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities for the year 2026 was held on 23rd February at the conference hall of the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment under my chairmanship. The event was attended by the Secretary to the Ministry, Sampath Mantrinayake, Director of the National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities, Jayamali Wickramarachchi, Ministry officials and members of the Council of the National Council.
Specific decisions discussed and taken at the meeting.
01. Re-discussing with the Ministry of Health the medical records used in the payment of living allowance for kidney patients.
02. Preparing a glossary that can be used for persons with disabilities.
The sub-committee has proposed 75 such glossaries/terms.
An additional two weeks were given to the members of the Council to provide their views on this matter.
Also, 11 main terms used to identify people with disabilities were identified and all government institutions, media institutions and organizations were informed to use those terms in the future when communicating information about people with disabilities.
03. Wheelchair donation and National Wheelchair Center.
Wheelchairs donated by the Sakura Wheelchair Institute of Japan have now arrived in the island.
These wheelchairs will be distributed to the needy people under a proper system.
Along with this, a program has also been prepared to repair these wheelchairs.
Under the intervention of the Ministry of Health, a wheelchair manufacturing center will be established affiliated to the Ragama Rehabilitation Hospital and a program to manufacture, repair wheelchairs and train technicians for this will be initiated through it.
The need to reach an understanding with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) including the ministries to take this process forward was discussed.
The ultimate goal of this project should be to manufacture wheelchairs in Sri Lanka.
04. Systematize the allowances provided to persons with disabilities. Complaints have been received regarding non-receipt of this allowance by several people due to various reasons.
The Secretary to the Ministry will intervene directly in such situations and a request has been made to report on the non-receipt of such allowances.
05. General guidelines and recommendations on providing employment opportunities and ensuring a conducive work environment for persons with disabilities.
Action will be taken in accordance with the recommendations given by the Human Rights Commission in this regard.
06. Deployment of a special bus service for persons with disabilities.
The government has already taken steps to put ten buses into service to cover Colombo and its suburbs and a program will be implemented to sensitize the drivers and conductors of these buses.
07. Follow-up on the activities of Special Education Units and Skill Centers.
The Special Education Unit and the Secretary to the Ministry of Education have been informed about this, and it was decided to obtain a representation from the Special Education Unit in the National Council.
08. Discussions have already begun on the introduction of a special pension scheme for persons with disabilities.

An awareness program on persons with disabilities was held on 05.02.2026 from 9.30 am to 12.00 pm at the Lobby of the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, in collaboration with the Therapy Division of the MJF Foundation, under the patronage of the National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities. 50 officials from institutions affiliated to the Ministry participated in the event.

The International Wheelchair Day Celebration, which falls on March 1st (01) every year, was held this morning (01) under my patronage at the Ragama Hematology and Rehabilitation Hospital premises.
The late Steve Wilkinson, a British national and passionate advocate, initiated International Wheelchair Day in 2008 to highlight the importance of wheelchairs in enabling mobility, independence, dignity and integration for millions of people around the world.

The theme this year is "Empowering Mobility - Building an Inclusive Future for All". At the celebration held at the Ragama Hematology and Rehabilitation Hospital premises, several wheelchairs donated by the Sakura Institute of Japan were symbolically presented to persons with disabilities. The site of the wheelchair manufacturing and repair center, which is proposed to be started with a provision of Rs. 250 million allocated in the 2026 budget, was inspected and an observation tour of the hospital premises was also conducted.

I emphasized that the current government is properly fulfilling the responsibility assumed in the policy statement "A Prosperous Country, a Beautiful Life" to build a society that is inclusive and inclusive, and that it has also identified the development of infrastructure to ensure the right of access for people with disabilities as a priority task and has planned to develop access facilities and related infrastructure for people with disabilities.

The occasion was attended by the Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Krishantha Abeysena, Deputy Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, Wasantha Piyatissa, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Nishantha Jayaweera, Gampaha District Member of Parliament, Stephanie Fernando, Member of Parliament, Sugath Wasantha de Silva, public representatives, Secretary to the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment, Sampath Mantrinayake, Additional Secretaries, Deputy Director of the Ragama Hematology and Rehabilitation Hospital, Dr. Chandragupta Ranasinghe, persons with disabilities, hospital staff and a large group.

A mobile eyeglass distribution program was held at the Bulathsinhala Pradeshiya Sabha building on 27.11.2025, centered on the Bulathsinhala Divisional Secretariat Division in Kalutara District. About 500 low-income visually impaired people participated in this. The Director of the National Secretariat for Persons with Disabilities and other officials participated in this event.