The Sub-Committee of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) has revealed that Sri Lanka Youth Services (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of the National Youth Services Council, had actually registered as a provider and sent rate quotations to the council itself at greater rates.The matter emerged at the COPE Sub-Committee conference chaired by Member of Parliament Chandima Hettiarachchi, which fulfilled just recently in Parliament to review the Auditor Generals reports for the years 2022 and 2023, the existing performance, and the progress of executing recommendations made throughout the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) meetings hung on February 18 and 20, 2025.
Throughout the meeting held, the Sub-Committee asked officials relating to the recommendation provided to previous Chairman of the Council Pasindu Gunaratne to offer all video footage associated to the Smart Youth program, consisting of the musical concert held, the Parliamentary Communications Department said in a statement.Officials informed the Committee that the relevant video footage had been turned over.
The Committee extensively asked regarding the payment of Rs.
120 million paid to the particular production entities for this purpose.
It was disclosed that Sri Lanka Youth Services (Pvt) Ltd., a subsidiary of the National Youth Services Council, had acquired the contract at a greater cost and after that outsourced the work to other organizations, the declaration mentioned.Furthermore, although the former chairman mentioned that the Smart Youth program and exhibition had been performed following a survey report, officials of the National Youth Services Council notified the Committee that no such report was available with them.The Chair of the Sub-Committee mentioned that a massive financial scams had happened in the conduct of the Smart Youth program.
He advised officials to conduct an independent investigation at the Ministerial level and send a detailed report to the Sub-Committee within 3 months.
He likewise directed the National Youth Services Council to perform its own examination and take legal action accordingly.Furthermore, the Committee went over the concern of payment payments to 40 authorities who had actually dealt with issues due to political factors.
A Cabinet decision had actually been released to designate a committee of retired officials to deal with these payments, however rather, 3 different committees had been appointed by the council to grant settlement.
The Sub-Committee instructed authorities to send a complete report within two weeks, detailing the names of the officials who got compensation, the amounts paid, the dates of promotions, the dates of payments, the dates of approvals, and the names of officials who made the decisions.Moreover, the Committee thoroughly went over a grievance regarding a diploma granted by the National Youth Services Co-Operative Society Ltd (NYSCO).
It was revealed that the Sri Lanka National Youth Services Council had no participation in this diploma program operated by NYSCO.
The Chairman of the National Youth Services Council even more specified that NYSCO was no longer under the councils manage, the statement highlighted.Additionally, it was disclosed that the age limit for choosing the General Manager of NYSCO, which was formerly set at 35 years, had actually now been raised to 50 years.
The Chair of the Sub-Committee highlighted that the National Youth Services Councils name should not be misused and directed the councils board of directors to investigate and take needed actions.Furthermore, he instructed the Secretary to the Ministry to summon NYSCOs top authorities for a questions and stated that the Sub-Committees recommendations on this matter would be forwarded to the Cooperative Commissioner for essential action.The Sub-Committee also held extensive conversations on the submission of annual reports and monetary declarations of the National Youth Services Council and Sri Lanka Youth Services (Pvt) Ltd to Parliament within the specified timeframes, along with the appropriate performance of audit and management committees.The meeting was participated in by Hon.
Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe, Jagath Manuwarna, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law, Auditor General W.P.C.
Wickramaratne, and a number of other authorities, according to the Parliamentary Communications Department.