The Department of Meteorology said that showers are expected at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and North-western provinces today (June 13).

Heavy rains of about 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts.

Several spells of showers may occur in the Northern province and in Anuradhapura district.

Strong winds of about 50-60kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-central, Western, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Southern provinces and in the Trincomalee district.

The general public is requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds.

Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake has instructed relevant officials to provide the maximum support necessary to successfully hold the Global Bora Community’s Spiritual Assembly and Convention scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka.

The Secretary to the President issued these instructions during discussions held today (12) at the Presidential Secretariat regarding the Global Bora Conference and Convention.

The Bora Conference and Convention will be held from 27 June to 05 July, coinciding with the Bora Community’s Spiritual Assembly, centred on the Bambalapitiya Bora Mosque and the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre, with the participation of the community’s Spiritual Leader His Holiness Dr Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin Sahib.

Approximately fifteen thousand members of the Bora Community from India and numerous other countries are expected to arrive in Sri Lanka for this Convention and Conference. Extensive discussions were held regarding the provision of all infrastructure facilities, including airport arrangements, for them.

A group of the Bora Community’s religious leaders, along with officials including the Secretary to the Foreign Ministry, Aruni Ranaraja and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, participated in this occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), with a view to facilitating sustainable revival of businesses that were adversely affected during the recent past has advised the licensed commercial banks and licensed specialised banks (hereinafter referred to as licensed banks) to provide further concessions to those SME borrowers who commenced discussions for business revival with the respective banks by 31.03.2025. 

These relief measures are in line with Circular No. 04 of 2024 dated 19.12.2024 on Relief Measures to Assist the affected SMEs and the Addendum Circular No. 01 of 2025 dated 01.01.2025.

Accordingly, licensed banks have been advised to provide further concessions including interest reliefs and new lending to affected borrowers while the timeline given to the licensed banks in Circular No. 04 of 2024 to enter into reschedulement agreements with eligible SME borrowers has been extended from 15.06.2025 to 30.06.2025.