News

Several non-profit state entities face likely closure

Published

1 month ago

March 23, 2025

editor

A Cabinet-appointed committee that looked into reforming state-owned non-commercial institutions has recommended a string of restructuring measures, including winding up some state institutions, ending state intervention with several other institutions and amalgamation of some.

The liquidation of 12 non-commercial state entities coming under six ministries has been recommended by the committee along with the winding up of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority and the Cashew Corporation. Others for which liquidation is recommended include the Galle Heritage Foundation, the National Ocean Affairs Committee Secretariat and the Information and Communication Technology Agency.

The committee has also recommended that the three state-owned media institutions, namely the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, the Rupavahini Corporation and the Independent Television Network, be placed under a single management so as to improve efficiency and make them commercially viable.

The committee said these media institutions needed significant investment for their survival, and hence its recommendation for single management.

Other institutes recommended for amalgamation are the Sri Lanka Tea Board and the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority, as well as the Coconut Cultivation Board, Coconut Development Authority and the Palmyra Development Board.

The committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Secretary, Pradeep Saputantri, was appointed in December last year to review all non-commercial state statutory institutions in the country, with a view to strengthening public service delivery and addressing inherent inefficiencies. It assessed 160 institutions coming under 24 ministries.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya submitted the committee report to Cabinet on Monday, and approval was given to implement its proposals.

The committee found that some state institutions were running efficiently and should be managed in the same manner while recommending private-public partnerships to run others. The report said that the Sri Lanka Film Corporation, for example, could be run efficiently if it partnered with a private partner so that its dependency on the Treasury could be minimised.

The committee also recommended the amalgamation of the Office of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol and the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board.

With regard to the Sir John Kotalawala Hospital, the committee said that the institution does not make any profits and has become a burden to the treasury and, therefore, recommends that a committee be appointed to study how it can be turned into a financially viable institution.

On the Sri Lanka Press Council, the committee recommends that it be continued with a change in name to Sri Lake Media Council to widen its reach.

The committee also noted that large extents of land that belong to different state institutions are lying idle and recommended that steps be taken to manage these in a manner for the benefit of the public.

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

News

Major reforms planned for bus transport

Published

5 hours ago

April 28, 2025

editor

Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, recently held a special discussion with officials from the National Transport Commission (NTC), the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), and the Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authorities across nine provinces. The meeting led to several key decisions aimed at modernizing and improving the country’s road passenger transport sector.

Among the major initiatives discussed were:

Immediate implementation of an integrated bus timetable for the Puttalam route.
Launch of a pilot project on Route 138, where all buses operate under a single association with profit-sharing arrangements.
Installation of GPS and CCTV systems in buses for improved monitoring and safety.
Development of an online ticket booking system in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Technology.
Introduction of random drug and alcohol testing for bus drivers.
Mandatory issuance of bus tickets through electronic ticketing machines (implementation phase in progress).
Formulation of specifications for buses used in passenger transport.
Mandatory seatbelt usage for bus drivers.
Identification of new roads/routes for the addition of new bus services.
Provision of WhatsApp numbers for passengers to report complaints about buses, with numbers prominently displayed inside buses.
Minister Rathnayake emphasized the need for swift action to implement these measures and instructed officials to continuously monitor and report on the progress of each initiative.

(dailynews.lk)

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

News

Chongqing gears up for 25th Lijia International Intelligent Equipment expo

Published

6 hours ago

April 28, 2025

editor

The international internet celebrity city of Chongqing in China will host a grand equipment manufacturing industry event – the 25th Lijia International Intelligent Equipment Exhibition 2025 next month.

The Expo will be held at the Chongqing International Expo Center from May 13th to 16th, 2025, attracting exhibitors and professional visitors from all over the world to discuss and showcase the latest technologies and products in the equipment manufacturing industry.

This exhibition, spanning across 100,000 sq. meters will bring together 1,400 globally renowned enterprises which will showcase their intelligent manufacturing equipment and technology, particularly the latest achievements, cutting-edge technologies, and high-end products in the fields of machine tools, industrial automation and robots, tool holders and measuring tools, sheet metal, die-casting casting, molds, rubber and plastic.

The 2025 Lijia Exhibition will also create multiple themed exhibition islands showcasing manufacturing powerhouses of China, which will comprehensively showcase solutions to industry pain points through on-site demonstrations, technical explanations, and physical displays.

In addition, the exhibition will also hold over 100 industry conferences and events. The main forum, “FIM-Future Intelligent Manufacturing Conference,” focuses on future factories, with the theme of AI+manufacturing. Industry experts are expected to provide suggestions and recommendations for manufacturing transformation.

Organizers point out that for global manufacturing enterprises, the expo is not only an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest technologies and products in China’s equipment manufacturing industry, but also also an important platform for gaining a deeper understanding of the Chinese market and expanding international cooperation. It will also open up opportunities to engage in in-depth exchanges and cooperation with Chinese counterparts, and to jointly promote the development and prosperity of the global equipment manufacturing industry.

News

RW issues special statement after exiting CIABOC (Video)

Published

7 hours ago

April 28, 2025

editor

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has left the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) after providing a statement today (April 28).

Soon afterwards, he had also made a special statement in this regard.

(Video : VoiceTube)

(Previous news 2025 April 28 – 9.20.a.m.)

Ex-President Ranil to appear before CIABOC today

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (April 28) at 9.30 a.m.

He has been summoned to record a statement over the statement he had made on MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake.

Former President Wickremesinghe, who was initially summoned to the CIABOC on April 17 but requested a postponement. He had requested a date after April 27th to appear before CIABOC, citing that his lawyer Ronald Perera is currently abroad.

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