The Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry welcomed the approval of a USD 100 million policy-based loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to support transformative reforms in Sri Lanka’s water supply and sanitation sector.

This programme aims to enhance the sector’s sustainability, climate resilience and efficiency, building on the Ministry’s efforts to ensure equitable access to clean water and improved infrastructure in response to climate change.

The ADB’s Water Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme includes two sub-programmes, designed to establish policies and strategies at the national level and to ensure the effective implementation of these reforms through the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB).

These reforms target critical issues such as fragmented water resources management, inadequate climate adaptation and governance challenges.

The reforms introduced under this programme include the adoption of a Climate Change Resilience Roadmap, climate-resilient project appraisal frameworks, business efficiency action plans, a private sector participation framework, an investment framework and water safety plans.

The project will enhance the performance of the NWSDB and ensure equitable water allocation, gender-sensitive service delivery and long-term sustainability.

(dailymirror.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailymirror.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran, representing the Ilangai Tamil Arasu Party (ITAK), has confirmed that the party’s decision to support Sajith Premadasa remains unchanged.

This statement comes amid calls from Mavei Senadhiraja and M. Sreedharan to reconsider the party’s stance.

Sumanthiran emphasized that the decision was made following proper procedures and has now been accepted by all party members.

“Mavei Senadhiraja and Sreedharan had stated that we should reconsider the decision taken by the party. But we have stated that there is no need to reconsider it. It is a decision taken by our party according to the proper method. Now both of them have accepted that. Therefore, they have accepted that the future work should be discussed again with Sajith Premadasa,” he said.

Regarding the possibility of dealing with Anura Kumara Dissanayake if he becomes president, Sumanthiran expressed readiness.

“Yes. We are ready for it. We worked together in the good governance government. Even if we are in the opposition when they come to power, there are many things to deal with them. Especially against fraud and corruption,” he stated.

(newsfirst.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by newsfirst.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

Director of Socio- Economics and Planning at the Department of Agriculture, Dr. Chamila Chandrasiri said there has been a threefold hike in prices of essential food items since 2022.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) released new price ranges of selected food items yesterday, impacting a wide array of products from staples like rice and sugar to vegetables and dairy products. The price of white sugar has almost doubled since 2021, increasing from 115 LKR/kg to 230-269 LKR/kg. Further, the price of white rice has climbed sharply from 175 LKR/kg to 184-210 LKR/kg.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, cost of food in Sri Lanka increased 0.80 percent in August 2024 over the same month in the previous year, and food inflation has averaged 10.58 percent from 2009 until 2024.

Dr. Chandrasiri told the Daily Mirror that the surge in output prices is due to a rise in machinery and labor costs. “The Department of Agriculture has implemented long term programs to double rice and maize production and introduced technical packages for paddy cultivation to improve overall yields. We also believe in reducing rice imports and paving the road to self- sufficiency,” she said.

She explained that the stark increase in food prices comes in response to inflationary pressures, and the CAA has since stepped in to regulate price hikes on essential commodities such as rice. “It was only a few months ago that the price of carrots grew to 2000 Rupees, price stabilization in the market should be of utmost concern,” she said.

(dailymirror.lk)

(This story, originally published by dailymirror.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)