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Presidential Educational Scholarship Program 2023, commences

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The President’s Fund and the Ministry of Education jointly implemented a scholarship program for students who excelled in the GCE O/L examination, under the guidance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Zonal Education Offices considers skill, aesthetics, sports, and extra-curricular activities, as well as the economic and social status of the student’s family when awarding points for this program.

Under the first phase, 3,000 students across the country qualified, and 110 scholarship recipients with the highest merits in 11 education zones symbolically received their scholarships of Rs. 5,000 per month for two years at the Presidential Secretariat.

The scholarship program will award a total of 30 scholarships per zone, providing support to 3,000 students in 100 educational zones throughout the country. The scholarship program’s total estimated cost for the two-year duration is Rs. 360 million. The Ministry of Education informed schools through a circular, and a newspaper advertisement was also published to encourage applications for the scholarship program.

Along with this scholarship award, school bags, books, umbrellas, watches and a gift card worth Rs. 5,000 were also presented to the scholarship winners with the support of the Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, National Savings Bank, Regional Development Bank and the National Paper Corporation.

Arrangements have also been made to make scholarship awards and financial donations to the remaining scholarship recipients within the next two weeks.

Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha and Presidential Senior Adviser on National Security, Chief of Presidential Staff Mr. Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the President Mr. Saman Ekanayake, Secretary of the Ministry of Education Mr. M.N. Ranasinghe, Secretary of the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Mr. W.A. Sarath Kumara and  several others participated in this event.

(President’s Media Division)

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Gem & jewellery export revenue drops by 25% due to taxes!

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Although gems and jewellery worth US$477 million were exported in 2023, exports have fallen by 25% to US$360 million last year (2024) after the imposition of taxes on the gem and jewellery industry, says Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority (NGJA) – Mr. Navin Sooriyarachchi.

He stated this at a media briefing held at the Government Information Department yesterday (July 07).

This media briefing was held to inform the media about the newly opened VAT Refund Counter at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

He said that following discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), taxes were imposed on their industry from January 01, 2024.

Accordingly, an 18% VAT was imposed when selling gems and jewelry to tourists as well as when importing rough gemstones. In addition, a 45.14% tax was imposed on gold imports, he added.

Noting that the NGJA has issued about 8,000 mining licenses, he said that these should produce gemstones worth over US$ 1.5 billion annually, assuming that around 50% of these mines were profitable.

He added that Gem and Jewellery had the potential to be the second largest primary export of the country.

However, following the imposition of the 18% VAT, sales have declined significantly, Mr. Sooriyarachchi says, adding that competitive practices such as post purchase VAT refunding followed by other countries have further affected this situation.

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8 DIGs in India

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It is reported that 02 senior DIGs and 07 DIGs have simultaneously left for overseas courses.

Eight of them have gone to India for a course that will be held until July 12th. 

The Police HQ has taken measures to appoint other SDIGs and DIGs to cover duties of these officers, reports say.

The officers who are overseas in these manner are Senior DIGs Waruna Jayasundara and Dhanapala Abeywickrama as well as DIGs Sujith Wedamulla, Nuwan Mendis, Udith Liyanage, Pradeep Kalupahana, Sarath Kumara, Indika Hapugoda and H.C.A. Pushpakumara.

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Consultant neurosurgeon further remanded

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The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered to further remand Dr. Maheshi Wijeratne, a consultant neurosurgeon attached to the Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital, until July 15.

Dr. Wijeratne was previously arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and subsequently remanded.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali issued the order after considering the facts presented by officials from the CIABOC and legal representatives of the defense.

The court also ordered the release on bail of two other suspects who had been remanded over the same case.

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