Post Views: 157 Amendment to the regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) and reregistration of subscriber information related to the SIM cards obtained before 02-08-2019 As per the provisions of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act No. 25 of 1991, the regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) No. 01 of 2019 have been declared on 02-08-2019 and the aforementioned regulations are only applicable for the SIM cards issued after that date. Therefore, the information on certain subscribers who registered before 02-08-2019 is not available with the telephone operating companies, which has led to problematic situations in certain law investigation activities. Further, it has been recognized the necessity of amending the regulations appropriate to the current requirements, including the new provisions relevant to the registration of subscribers between the ages of 16 and 17 and the issuance of SIM cards for foreigners who come to Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by Hon. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Digital Economy, to introduce new regulations providing the provisions for reregistration of the information of the subscribers who have obtained the SIM cards before 02-08-2019 and amending the currently implemented regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules-SIM) No. 01 of 2019. The Memorandum of Understanding between the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Maldives. A Memorandum of Understanding between the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and the National Defence Force in the Republic of Maldives was entered into in the year 2012 for a period of 05 years, and the aforementioned agreement was renewed in the year 2018. Subsequent to the expiry of the aforementioned MoU in the year 2023, based on the discussions conducted between both parties, a consensus has been reached to sign an amended new agreement with the objective of organizing training programs, implementing staff exchange programs, organizing joint research and academic activities, exchanging academic publications and other information, and implementing cultural and athletic exchange programs. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by Hon. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Defence, to sign the proposed Memorandum of Understanding between the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Maldives. Engagement of 10 new air-conditioned, lower floor board buses with facilities for people with special needs as a pilot project. It has been decided to implement air-conditioned, lower floor board bus service with facilities for people with special needs as a pilot project by utilizing the provisions allocated for the “Clean Sri Lanka” project. Accordingly, the procurement for purchasing 10 buses has already been awarded and it is due to be received these buses to Sri Lanka on 15-03-2026 It has seemed that the Sri Lanka Transport Board does not have the capability to provide the physical infrastructure and digital infrastructure necessary for the operation and maintenance of these buses. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to implement the project of deploying 100 modern, comfortable, and advanced technology buses for passenger transportation in the Colombo suburbs as an initial step taken to modernize passenger transport, and transfer the relevant 10 buses to the Metro Transit (Private) Company, established under the Sri Lanka Transport Board as per the Cabinet decision made on 21-07-2025, and to operate this service under this company. “National Mineral Policy” – 2026 The National Mineral Policy was prepared for the first time in the year 1999, and the aforementioned policy has been amended in 2023 to cover the matters such as preparing an updated data system related to mineral resources, adding value to the export of minerals, encouraging mineral-related industrialists, extracting mineral resources and managing the environment sustainably, and resolving the issues related to the ownership of the land arising in extracting mineral resources. The revised National Mineral Policy has been reupdated in line with the manifesto “A Sustainable Resource Utilization – Generation of the Highest Benefit” under the policy statement of the current government” A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.” Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship to implement the so-formulated “National Mineral Policy—2026.” Completion of the building for the Renal Treatment Unit, the construction of which was terminated at the Badulla Teaching Hospital, and the establishment of the proposed Professorial Unit. The Badulla General Hospital which has been selected as the clinical training center of the Faculty of Medicine of the Uva-Wellassa University has been upgraded to a Teaching Hospital. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the joint resolution presented by the Hon. Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education and the Minister of Health and Mass Media to award the contract to the Central Engineering Services (Pvt) Ltd. (CESL) enabling the completion of the Renal Treatment Unit comprised of ten floors expeditiously, of which the constructions have been terminated with the objective of fulfilling approximately 80% of the professorial units and related teaching facilities required for the clinical training of that hospital. Combined Regional Development Program proposed to be implemented in Northern and Eastern Provinces US$ 1,000 million is scheduled to be presented as financial allocations under the International Development Association of the World Bank Group for the six-year period from the year 2026 to the year 2031, and out of that amount, US$ 100 million is planned to be utilized for the combined regional development program proposed to be implemented in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Under the 1st stage of that program, it is expected to implement the projects for which attention has been drawn to improve the infrastructure for increasing the reginal production potentials (tourism, fisheries) in selected areas of the Northern and Eastern Provinces including the creation of employment, improving existing job opportunities, assisting entrepreneurs, attracting private capital, and institution empowerment. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to conduct negotiations by the Department of External Resources with the World Bank and to take initial steps by his ministry relevant to the implementation of the proposed project. Procurement for supply of intraocular lenses International Competitive Bidding has been invited to purchase 35 types of intraocular lenses, which are used in eye implantation for cataract or myopia treatment. For this purpose, it has been submitted five (5) bids. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to award the procurement for purchasing 16 types of lenses from the 35 lens items to Jayasuriya Associates, Kandy, and Elshaddai Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, who are the substantially responsive bidders, based on the recommendations submitted by the higher-level standing procurement committee and Procurement Appeal Board. Construction of the administrative building of Eichchalampatthu Police Station. The Eichchalampatthu Police Station of Kanthale in the district of Trincomalee is currently maintained in a few small building with hardships which is causing inconvenience to the officers serving in the Police Station as well as the public seeking its service. In order to circumvent these circumstances, it has been planned to construct a new administrative building for the Eichchalampatthu Police Station and the estimated cost for this construction is rupees million 75.94. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to execute the proposed project within the mid – term budget framework of 2026 – 2028, and, to obtain the consultancy services from the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau (CECB). Procurement of supply and distribution of lubricants to Sapugaskanda Electricity Power Plant for the period of 2026 / 2027. The twelve (12) diesel powered engine generator sets existing in Sapugaskanda Electricity Power Plant, are operated as base load power plants generating supply to continuous power demand. The supply and distribution of lubricants required for those generator sets should be carried out under the categories prescribed in the list of lubricants recommended by the manufacturer of the original equipment as mentioned in the relevant monitoring and maintenance manual. The contract period of the current supplier of lubricants exhaustion on 09.05.2026 and therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Power to follow the national competitive bidding scheme for selecting a succeeding supplier for a period of one year to come. Furnishing revisions for Colombo Port City (Development Control) Regulations No. 1 of 2023 Colombo Port City (Development Control) Regulations No. 1 of 2023 for regulating the features of buildings and structures within the port city has been published as per the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021. The said regulations have been revised by the extraordinary gazette notification dated 17.11.2023 prior to this. Actions have been taken to revise those regulations by the extraordinary gazette notification dated 29.12.2025 based on the recommendations furnished by the Colombo Port City Economic commission prescribing the further amendment of those regulations pertaining to adjustment of land area initially including the coastal area, maximum escalation permitted for vertical development as well as categorization of matrix of usage. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved to the resolution furnished by the Hon. President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to furnish the Parliament with the amended regulation as per provisions of section 71 (4) of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission No. 11 of 2021 for its approval. Entering into an Agreement of Cooperation in between Sri Lanka and Japan on the economic policy dialogue. Sri Lanka and Japan have extended long term economic relationships covering the fields of development cooperation, trade and investments. In addition to bi – lateral economic transactions, both countries have inaugurated discussions to probe into opportunities to establish Sri Lanka as an economic corridor conjoining Sri Lanka and Japan to South Asian markets. Accordingly, , the Cabinet of Ministers has approved to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development to enter into a Cooperative Agreement on Economic Policy Dialogue with the objective of promoting comprehensive relations between Sri Lanka and Japan, and as a part of the devourers to promote and strengthen trade, investments and economic development. Submission of the draft Bill of Financial Transactions Reporting (Amendment) Act and the draft Bill of Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Act to the Parliament’ As per the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers dated 26.05.2025, approval was granted to introduce further amendments to the draft bill of Financial Transactions Reporting (Amendment) Act and the draft bill of Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Act which were drafted by the Legal Draftsman. Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the final drafts of those bills. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved for the resolution furnished by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bills in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence. Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 in order to introduce amendments to the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 including the proposed tax revisions to enhance the tax structure paving way for state financial integrity based on revenue. Accordingly, the revised draft bill has been prepared by the legal draftsman and clearance of the Attorney General has been received. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for the resolution furnished by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence. Post navigation මහනුවර ව්යාපාරිකයන්ට ලක්ෂ 2 බැගින් ලැබෙන වැඩසටහනක් හෙට. අරගලයේදී මරාදැමුනු මංත්රී අමරකීර්ති ඝාතන නඩුවේ සැකකරුවන්ට ලැබුනු තීන්දුව.
