Connect with us

News

India hands over solar rooftop systems to religious sites

Published

on

A handing over of solar rooftop systems took place at four religious locations: Hokandara Temple, Sri Aanjaneyar Temple, St. Anthony’s Church and Mutwal Jumma Mosque in the Western Province on Oct. 25.

The event was attended by officials from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), and the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA).

This event, which is a part of India’s assistance of USD 17 million aimed at installing Solar PV Rooftop Systems in 5000 religious sites across Sri Lanka, is designed to reduce energy costs for these institutions while bolstering Sri Lanka’s transition to clean energy.

A media release by the Indian High Commission further notes :

The 5,000 solar rooftop systems will be installed across all nine provinces and 25 districts of Sri Lanka, covering major religious sites representing Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. This project highlights India’s steadfast commitment to bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, emphasizing the human-centric and secular values underpinning India’s development partnership with Sri Lanka.

With Indian expertise, the project will add 25 MW of solar capacity, generating approximately 37 million units annually, supporting the Government of Sri Lanka’s ‘people-centric energy transition’ policy. The project is expected to be completed by early next year.Beyond the supply and installation of the systems, the project also includes a 5-year maintenance period to ensure long-term efficiency and sustainability.

It may be recalled that during the recent visit of India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar to Sri Lanka, India reiterated its strong commitment to advancing bilateral projects of Sri Lankan priority under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. This initiative is a significant part of these efforts, promoting close cooperation between the two countries.

The project opens a new chapter in the energy partnership between India and Sri Lanka, reinforcing the shared goal of promoting reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy. Other ongoing collaborations in this sector include solar electrification of around 9000 Buddhist Temples and Pirivenas across Sri Lanka under grant assistance of USD 10 million, the hybrid renewable energy project in the three islands off Jaffna, LNG supply and infrastructure development, and the solar power plant at Sampur.

News

2nd phase of bidding for luxury vehicles from Prez Secretariat commences

Published

on

By

The second phase of bidding has commenced for the sale of 27 luxury and decommissioned vehicles from the Presidential Secretariat.

 These vehicles, manufactured between 1991 and 2016, include a range of high-end and utility models: two BMW cars, two Ford Everest SUVs, one Hyundai Terracan SUV, two Land Rover SUVs, one Mitsubishi Montero, three Nissan petrol cars, two Nissan-type motor cars, one Porsche Cayenne, five SsangYong Rexton SUVs, one Land Cruiser Sahara SUV, six V08 vehicles and one Mitsubishi Rosa air-conditioned bus.

Tender documents are available from the Finance Division, located on the second floor of the Sema Building at the Presidential Secretariat, on working days between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. until 14th May. Interested parties may also inspect the vehicles at the Salusala premises, No. 93, Jawatta Road, up to the same date.

This auction follows the successful first phase of the programme, during which 14 luxury vehicles, six decommissioned vehicles and various spare parts were sold. That phase included the auction of 15 vehicles, including nine Defender Jeeps. The initiative reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to reducing public expenditure and ensuring fiscal discipline.

It is important to note that the vehicles on offer were not allocated to the permanent staff of the Presidential Secretariat. They were utilised by advisors and other individuals appointed under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during the tenure of the previous President.

The official notice regarding this auction is shown below :

(President’s Media Division)

Continue Reading

News

IPL suspended for a week over safety concerns

Published

on

By

The Indian Premier League has been suspended for one week amid the ongoing tensions between India and neighbouring Pakistan.

Overnight, India accused Pakistan of attacking three of its military bases with drones and missiles, a claim which Islamabad denied.

Pakistani authorities say 31 people have been killed and 57 injured by Indian air strikes in the country and Pakistan-administered Kashmir since Wednesday morning.

Twenty-six civilians were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir last month and India has accused Pakistan of supporting militants behind the attack – an allegation the neighbouring country has rejected.

The situation escalated on Tuesday evening when India launched a series of strikes in a move named “Operation Sindoor”.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said: “The decision was taken by the IPL Governing Council after due consultation with all key stakeholders following the representations from most of the franchisees, who conveyed the concern and sentiments of their players, and also the views of the broadcaster, sponsors and fans.

“While the BCCI reposes full faith in the strength and preparedness of our armed forces, the Board considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all stakeholders.”

On Thursday, the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was abandoned mid-match because of floodlight failure, with players, staff and media set to be evacuated from the city, which lies close to the contested region of Kashmir.

Later on the same day, the remaining matches in the Pakistan Super League were moved to the United Arab Emirates.

The IPL, the richest franchise T20 league in the world, had been set to run until 23 May, with 16 games left to be played.

“Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,” said the BCCI.

There are 10 England players – past and present – involved in this year’s tournament. They include former white-ball captain Jos Buttler, fast bowler Jofra Archer and all-rounder Jacob Bethell.

IPL matches have been staged outside India before, with the 2009 edition held in South Africa following an attack on the Sri Lankan national side in Lahore in Pakistan, while the 2020 and second half of the 2021 seasons were staged in the United Arab Emirates during the Covid-19 pandemic.

(BBC News)

Continue Reading

News

First capacity-building program under NCGG – SLIDA MoU concludes successfully

Published

on

By

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Centre for Good Governance of India (NCGG) and Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) was signed during the State Visit of President of Sri Lanka, H.E. Anura Kumara Disanayaka to India in December 2024 for training and capacity building of 1500 Sri Lankan civil service officers over a period of five years.

The first program under the MoU was successfully held at NCGG from 21 April to 02 May 2025, and was attended by 41 officers. Based on the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, the theme of the program was ‘digitization in governance’. The program featured a series of sessions focused on key areas such as digital service delivery, digital public infrastructure, financial inclusion through digital payments, and innovations in public grievance redressal systems. Senior officials and domain experts delivered presentations on flagship Indian initiatives in the digital domain, including Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, e-Office, GeM, Aadhaar, PM Gati Shakti, among others.

At an interaction session with participants in the inaugural program organized on 08 May 2025 at SLIDA, the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha underscored that capacity building is an important pillar of the development cooperation between the two countries, with Sri Lanka being among the largest recipients of scholarships and capacity building initiatives offered by India. He highlighted that, demonstrating India’s continued commitment to enhancing capacity-building opportunities for Sri Lankans, Prime Minister of India had announced additional training avenues to 700 Sri Lankan citizens annually during his recent State visit. In that context, the High Commissioner said that the participants in the first NCGG-SLIDA programme also represented the first set of Sri Lankan nationals to receive training as part of the significantly enhanced capacity-building endeavour of India that will now benefit 1000 Sri Lankans annually.

The interaction session was also attended by Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, Mr S. Aloka Bandara; Director General of SLIDA, Mr A.V. Janadara; senior officials and faculty members of SLIDA; among others.

In view of the highly positive feedback from the participants in the inaugural NCGG-SLIDA program, based on request from SLIDA, a second program on the same theme under the MoU is now being planned for another batch of around 40 officers for early June 2025.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Sri Lanka Mirror. All Rights Reserved