News

Special Vesak program in Galle Face area from tomorrow

Published

1 month ago

May 2, 2023

editor

To celebrate the Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Festival, several programs have been planned at different locations in Sri Lanka. Starting from May 3rd to May 6th, the events will be held at Galle Face Green, Shangri-la Green, and Presidential Secretariat premises.

On May 03rd and 04th, a Bakthi Geetha recital will take place on the steps of the Presidential Secretariat, and President Ranil Wickremesinghe will attend the event. On May 04th, the same recital is also scheduled to be held at the same location.

On May 5th, a stage built on the Shangri-La green grounds will be used for distributing school supplies to forty novice monks and 1200 school children.

Furthermore, at 7.00 pm at the Shangri-La Green, the Maha Karuna Buddhist Association of Singapore and Willing Hearts Foundation of Singapore will hold a Rice Dansala, which will continue on May 05th and 06th.

Additionally, during May 05th and 06th, the Sri Lanka Navy, Civil Security Department, Youth Service Council, and Sri Lanka Army will hold Bakthi Geetha recitals and light Vesak illuminations at the stage built on the Shangri-La Green.

(President’s Media Division)

News

CMC’s receivable income exceeds Rs.6,200mn in 2022!

Published

2 hours ago

June 9, 2023

editor

The receivable income of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) for the year 2022 was Rs.6,280.50 million, it was revealed during the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) meeting.

This was revealed when the COPA met in Parliament on June 06 under the chairmanship of State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna to examine the Auditor General’s reports and current performance of the Colombo Municipal Council for the years 2020/2021.

The CMC’s total receivable income of the year 2021 is Rs.5,835.6 million, Rs.5,386.4 million in 2022 and Rs.4,481.5 million in 2019. It was found that these arrears are in the form of assessment tax, rent and other taxes.

Accordingly, the officials who were present pointed out that they are making arrangements to acquire the properties where the taxes are in arrears.

They said that there are issues related to the identification of the owners of certain properties, and that there is also a shortage of CMC officials available to look into these matters.

The COPA member MPs pointed out that assessment numbers have been given for unauthorized constructions as well.

Accordingly, the committee recommended that a programme should be prepared with specific dates to recover the arrears and a full report should be submitted to the COPA by July 06, 2023.

It was also revealed that the private companies contracted to collect parking fees have continued to default on the monthly rent due to the CMC and the amount of arrears to be collected from 38 companies as at December 31, 2021, was Rs. 265 million.

BIZ

Parliament SOC recommends not to privatise SLT

Published

2 hours ago

June 9, 2023

editor

The Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on National Security has said that it does not recommend the privatisation of Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT).

This was stated in a report issued by the SOC on National Security headed by MP Sarath Weerasekera.

The report said that matters sensitive to national security can be exposed through the privatisation of SLT.

News

Fonseka resigns from SOC on National Security

Published

2 hours ago

June 9, 2023

editor

Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has resigned from the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on National Security, Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakshe announced in Parliament today (09).

He said MP Rauff Hakeem has been appointed to the vacant position instead.