Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, announced that steps are being taken to increase the number of locomotives in daily operations to reduce train delays ahead of the introduction of electric trains in Sri Lanka
He emphasized the importance of improving train punctuality, stating that the government is actively addressing service cancellations. Currently, Sri Lanka operates around 217 to 220 daily train services, with 17 to 20 cancellations on average. The goal is to minimize cancellations and maintain consistent operations.
Dr. Gunasena noted that while the country typically requires 60 to 70 locomotives for smooth daily operations, only 45 to 50 have been available in recent times. However, efforts are underway to increase this number, with the expectation that over 60 locomotives will be in service by the end of February.
Additionally, he highlighted that currently, 52% of trains operate on schedule, while 17% experience delays exceeding 10 minutes, and 10% are delayed by more than 30 minutes. The government aims to improve these figures by enhancing locomotive availability and efficiency.
(dailynews.lk) (Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
The government is currently prioritizing the development of a country-specific Food Security Index, with the goal of completing the initiative within the next three months.
This tailored index is expected to better reflect Sri Lanka’s unique food security landscape, addressing the limitations of global indices such as the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which have been criticized for failing to capture the nuances of the local context. Policymakers have also noted that existing data is often insufficient or imprecise, making it challenging to develop effective strategies.
The proposed index aims to identify key national priorities and guide food security policy over the next five years.
As a first step in this effort, a workshop titled “Identifying a Suitable Food Security Index for Sri Lanka and Formulating a Strategic Plan” was held today (17) at the Colombo City Center. Organized by the Food Security Expert Committee in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the event brought together experts and stakeholders from across the sector.
Delivering the opening remarks, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Gunaratne emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating that the development of a precise, country-specific index is a vital step toward ensuring both economic stability and national food security. The workshop focused on the four key dimensions of food security; availability, accessibility, utilization and stability and explored how these can be incorporated into a comprehensive and practical national index.
Participants included members of the Food Security Expert Committee, such as Senior Professors Buddhi Marambe and Jeevika Weerahewa, along with representatives from various government agencies, academic institutions, the FAO, the WFP and the private sector.
Several opposition members of Parliament have walked out of the Parliament chamber today (June 17.) in protest over the actions of the Speaker of House, according to Chief Opposition Whip Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka.
MP Karunathilleka noted that several MPs including those from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), walked out of Parliament after the Speaker refused to allocate time to discuss the on-going Iran-Israel conflict.
Sri Lanka and France signed a bilateral agreement yesterday (June 16) in Colombo, marking a major milestone in Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, the Ministry of Finance announced.
The bilateral agreement was signed by Mahinda Siriwardana, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, on behalf of the government and William Roos, Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Affairs, Trade and Development Policies Department, Directorate-general of the Treasury, on behalf of the government of France.
The statement by the Finance Ministry added that the government of France played a pivotal role in spearheading Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, co-chairing the Official Creditor Committee alongside Japan and India.
The Ministry noted that the agreement would further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relationships between the two nations.