News
15 percent jump in pipe-borne water use –– NWSDB
Water consumption in Sri Lanka had increased by 15 percent in recent weeks due to the prevailing dry and unusually warm weather, coupled with high humidity, a senior official of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) said on Wednesday (13).
As a result, pipe-borne water consumers living in higher grounds and those living in outermost areas of water projects would experience low water pressure, the official said.
NWSDB said it had not resorted to water cuts in any area but requested people to use water sparingly due to the declining water level in the rivers used as sources for piped drinking water.
Earlier Deputy General Manager of NWSDB Anoja Kaluarachchi said the Met Department has warned there will not be significant rainfall until May and thus the NWSDB needs to manage its water till then.
She added that the country has been experiencing dry weather for about nine weeks, and the water level of rivers and reservoirs has dropped, impacting the amount of water intake for distribution.
News
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 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.
News
Cabinet nod for “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 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.”
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