Aimed at accelerating Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, three key digital initiatives were officially launched today (07) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
These initiatives include the establishment of the GovPay government digital payment platform, the expansion of the President’s Fund services to the Divisional Secretariat level, and the introduction of the eBMD system for obtaining birth, marriage, and death certificates through embassies.
The project is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), and LankaPay, with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka ensuring the security of the payment platform and fostering public trust in its operations.
Through the GovPay platform, payments for all services related to 16 government institutions can be processed in the initial phase. Starting from April, an additional 30 government institutions are planned to be integrated into the platform. Moving forward, there is an ambition to unify all government institutions under this system. Currently, 12 state and private banks have already joined the platform.
Speaking at the event, President Anura Kumara Disanayake emphasized that technological advancements play a pivotal role in improving people’s lives by delivering efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective services. He noted that throughout history, technological progress has been a driving force behind societal advancement, continuously elevating human civilization.
The President also highlighted that the President’s Fund has traditionally been managed from Colombo, which has posed significant challenges for citizens in remote villages. To address this, the fund’s operations will now be decentralized to the Divisional Secretariat level, ensuring greater accessibility and convenience.
He further stressed that such transformative decisions should have been made long ago, as delays in policy implementation have hampered economic progress and public welfare. However, with digitalization, urban and rural communities are now more interconnected than ever, making technology a vital tool in addressing rural poverty and resolving grassroots challenges.
President Disanayake reaffirmed that digitalization is the key driver that can propel Sri Lanka to a new stage of development, enabling citizens to meet their needs seamlessly, free from obstacles, inefficiencies, and bureaucratic delays.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake emphasized that due to the mechanized nature of modern life, the Sri Lankan people have gradually lost their connection to cultural living.
However, he pointed out that digitalization could facilitate the revival of cultural life, making it essential to ensure the success of this initiative. He further stated that the introduction of the Digital National Identity Card (Digital ID) marks a key milestone in this transformation.
The President stressed the urgency of implementing these changes rapidly, highlighting that transparency, efficiency, and bridging the urban-rural divide are critical to Sri Lanka’s digital transformation. He assured that the government is making significant efforts to elevate the nation to a new level through digitalization.
Senior Advisor to the President on Digitalization and Chairman of the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, stated that Sri Lanka already possesses 75% of the necessary skills to build a strong digital economy. However, to fully unlock this potential, the remaining gaps must be addressed, with a goal of completing this process within the next three years.
As part of this initiative, the President’s Fund was officially decentralized to the Divisional Secretariat level, enabling online application submissions for financial assistance. To further drive digital transformation, a system was introduced allowing Sri Lankans living abroad to obtain certified copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates through their respective embassies. As an initial implementation, a Sri Lankan resident in South Korea successfully received a birth certificate through the online system.
This initiative marks a significant step forward, as enabling expatriate Sri Lankans to access official documents via their embassies will greatly simplify bureaucratic processes and improve their quality of life.
The event was attended by Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government Chandana Abeyratne, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary of the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, along with several other dignitaries.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (June 30).
The price of Petrol 92 Octane has been increased by Rs. 12 to Rs. 305 per litre, while the price of Kerosene has been increased by Rs. 07 to Rs. 185 per litre. The price of Auto Diesel has also been increased by Rs. 15, bringing it to Rs. 289 per litre.
However, the prices of Petrol 95 Octane and Super Diesel remain unchanged, according to Ceypetco.
The new fuel prices are as follows:
• Petrol Octane 92 – Rs. 305 (increased by Rs. 12) • Auto Diesel – Rs. 289 (increased by Rs. 15) • Kerosene – Rs. 185 (increased by Rs. 7) • Petrol Octane 95 – Rs. 341 (not revised) • Super Diesel – Rs. 325 (not revised)
Meanwhile, Lanka IOC has also revised retail fuel prices to match Ceypetco prices.
Sri Lanka is the only country in the Asia region currently holding discussions with officials in the United States to revise the tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump earlier this year, according to Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando.
Joining the Parliamentary debate today (30), where MPs are debating the fiscal strategy statement of the government, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development stated that they are hopeful the government will be able get a better deal from the US regarding the 44% tariff imposed earlier this year.
A Sri Lankan delegation last month held discussions in Washington, D.C., focusing on tariff-related matters, following an invitation extended by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
The reciprocal tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump has been paused for 90 days at present.
Deputy Minister of Economic Development Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando in Parliament stated that the government will take all steps within their powers to reduce the tariffs imposed by the US which will have a major bearing on many local industries.
The Deputy Minister while the government is taking such important steps to safeguard local companies, the opposition is only focused on jeopardizing the work of the present administration
(adaderana.lk)
(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
Officials from India will extend their Washington visit to try to reach agreement on a trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and address lingering concerns on both sides, two Indian government sources said on Monday.
Trade talks between India and the U.S. have hit roadblocks over disagreements on import duties for auto components, steel, and farm goods, ahead of Trump’s July 9 deadline to impose reciprocal tariffs.
The Indian delegation had been expected to conclude discussions by last Friday, but was staying on until at least Monday evening to iron out differences and move towards an agreement, officials said, declining to be named as the discussions are private.
“There are certain disagreements over opening up the agriculture and dairy sectors, though India has offered tariff concessions on 90% of tariff lines. A final call will be taken by the political leadership of the two countries,” one of the government sources said.
“The Indian delegation could stay for another one to two days if discussions continue,” the second source said.
India’s commerce ministry and the U.S. Trade Representative Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Agriculture and dairy are “big red lines” for India in its ongoing trade negotiations with the U.S., Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told the Financial Express newspaper in an interview published on Monday.
“Yes, I’d love to have an agreement, a big, good, beautiful one; why not?” Sitharaman said, adding that an early conclusion of the trade deal would serve India better.
Trump said last week that America was going to have a “very big” trade deal with India, but gave no details.