Category: Local News

The State need not engage in business as its mandate is to provide services such as education and maintain law and order, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said Thursday defending plans to divest government-held shares of seven state owned enterprises (SOEs).

USD 121 million out of USD 333 million, the first tranche that was extended to Sri Lanka by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), was used to pay the instalment of the Indian credit line yesterday (March 24), State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

The Human Rights Committee said yesterday that it has concluded its one hundred and thirty-seventh session after adopting concluding observations on the reports of Egypt, Panama, Peru, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan and Zambia.

The water supply for parts of Colombo and its suburbs will be interrupted for 10 hours today (March 25).

Sri Lanka’s Excise Department has arrested two police officers for selling 2 kilograms of Kerala cannabis.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout will help bring Sri Lanka’s depleted foreign exchange reserve to pre-crisis levels in four years, said the country’s central bank governor.

The Government of Japan has provided USD 1.6 million to UN Women in support of humanitarian assistance for women mostly affected by the socio-economic crisis in Sri Lanka.

A decision has been reached for the divestment of shares held by the state of several enterprises based on a cabinet decision reached on 13th March 2023, the State Owned Enterprises Restructuring Unit of the Finance Ministry announced.

Postal Voting for the 2023 Local Government Election in Sri Lanka has been further delayed.

Several private fertiliser companies have decided to reduce the price of a 50kg Urea fertiliser bag by Rs. 7,500, Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera said.

The prices of imported milk powder will be reduced with effect from Monday (March 27), the Milk Powder Importers’ Association announced today (March 23).

State Minister Indika Anuruddha commended the efforts made by President Ranil Wickremesinghe during a media briefing convened by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

The Water Supply Professionals Trade Union Alliance (WSPTUA) has decided to engage in 8-hour trade union action by refraining from all duties at offices and workstations from 9:00 AM today (March 23) because they have not received solutions to their demands.

Sri Lanka will kick off the next round of talks with creditors in the third week of April, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Wednesday, adding that the debt-stricken nation has started to receive funds from the International Monetary Fund.

The Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) has further appreciated against the US dollar (USD) today (March 22), according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said today (March 22) the salaries and pensions of public servants will be revised in the future, in line with the inflation rates.