Two sub-committees were appointed by the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Youth Affairs and Sports of the Parliament, to promote sports and youth activities in the country.

Accordingly, members of the committee, parliamentarians, Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Ruwan Mapalagama, Mayilvaganam Jegatheeswaran, and Hiruni Wijesinghe, were appointed as members of the Sub-Committee on Sports. 

Members of the committee, Parliamentarians Lasith Bhashana Gamage, Dinindu Saman, and Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera, were appointed as members of the Sub-Committee on Youth Affairs. 

Other members of the committee were given the opportunity to join the sub-committees at their own discretion.

The sub-committees were appointed during the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Youth Affairs and Sports when it met for the first time in the tenth Parliament on 19 February Chaired by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage. 

The members of parliament (MPs) presented the issues existing in sports and youth affairs across the island and suggestions for strengthening those sectors. They emphasised that the interest shown by children in sports in the Northern and Eastern Provinces as well as in the Central Province is not at an optimal level and due to this, there is a tendency for them to resort to anti-social activities. Therefore, the need for an awareness-based programme to encourage children towards sports was also discussed.

Speaking at the meeting, the Chair of the Committee, Minister Gamage pointed out that sports are a powerful factor in creating national unity in the country and pointed out that there are issues related to sports in all provinces of the country. He added that the ministry should be informed in writing about the various issues related to sports and that it will intervene and take necessary measures to resolve all the issues for the development of sports in the country. 

Minister Gamage further emphasised that a programme is underway to identify and take appropriate action against corruption and irregularities committed under the guise of developing sports in the country.

The committee also discussed the identification of school children’s sports abilities from an early age and the fact that this information was not available in one system. Accordingly, the Chairman of the committee, emphasising the importance of having this information in one system, pointed out that a software engineer has already voluntarily started work on creating a data collection system.

Also, expressing their views on youth affairs, the MPs presented facts about the corruption and irregularities that have occurred in the National Youth Services Council and highlighted the importance of taking prompt action in this regard was also emphasised.

Although the annual report of the National Youth Services Council for the year 2022 had been submitted to the committee for approval, it was decided to consider the report later as the committee needed more time to study the report.