President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced in the 2026 Budget Speech that financial allowances provided to university students will be increased by Rs. 2,500. The adjustment comes as part of the government’s efforts to ease the financial burden on students facing higher living costs. With the increase, the monthly Mahapola allowance will rise to Rs. 10,000,…
Sri Lanka will issue its first digital identity cards in the third quarter of 2026, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced. He assured the public that personal data will be securely protected, despite concerns raised by some groups. The President highlighted several initiatives underway to support the country’s shift toward a digital economy, including the Sri…
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced during the 2026 Budget Speech that Sri Lanka has received USD 823 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) as of September 2025. He noted that the government aims to attract further investment by introducing investor-friendly policies. In addition, a new State Enterprise Management Act is expected to be presented to…
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reaffirmed that the current government will remain in office through 2028 and will continue to honor the country’s foreign debt commitments. Presenting the 2026 Budget in Parliament, the President said the government is implementing a program aimed at securing long-term debt sustainability. He noted that Sri Lanka is…
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says the government aims to maintain inflation below 5 percent as part of its broader economic stabilization plan. He noted that state revenue is expected to reach 16 percent of GDP by the end of the year, reflecting ongoing fiscal reforms. The President also said the country’s official reserve…
Sri Lanka plans to launch a wide-reaching housing development programme in 2026 aimed at supporting families from all social and economic backgrounds who are struggling with housing challenges. The initiative seeks to respond to a variety of growing pressures, including low incomes, limited access to land, rising construction costs, migration trends, informal urban expansion, displacement,…
Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced plans to rebuild the country’s weakened state administrative system by launching a large-scale recruitment drive and introducing new welfare measures for public sector employees. The announcement was made during the presentation of the 2026 Budget in Parliament. President Dissanayake noted that the public service has faced long-term challenges…
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have agreed to expand investment ties and explore new port connectivity initiatives as part of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation. The commitments were made during the fourth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), held in Colombo on Thursday — the first such meeting in eight years. Co-chaired by the foreign secretaries…
The Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka has announced that the first phase of the third school term for all government and government-approved private schools concludes today (07). The Ministry further stated that the second phase of the third term will resume on different dates depending on the medium of instruction. Sinhala and Tamil medium…
Sri Lanka has welcomed more than 1.9 million foreign tourists so far in 2025, according to the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). In the first five days of November alone, the country recorded 32,815 tourist arrivals, bringing the total number of visitors for the year to 1,923,502. The highest daily…
