News
42 ancient paintings missing from National Art Gallery
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Hiniduma Sunil Senevi yesterday told Parliament that 42 ancient paintings were missing from the National Art Gallery, and that had been uncovered during a stock verification conducted in 2015.
Responding to a question raised by SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman, the Minister said a stock verification board had inspected paintings and sculptures at the gallery in 2015, leading to the discovery of the missing artworks.
According to official records, the stock register listed 281 paintings, but only 239 are currently available at the National Art Gallery.
“The Ministry of Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs Secretary has appointed a committee, which has launched preliminary investigations. The recording of statements has commenced. I have given information to the Police in 2024 and 2025 regarding investigations into the matter,” the Minister said.
The Minister added that investigations were continuing into the disappearance of the paintings while authorities were working to determine the circumstances surrounding the missing artworks.
By Saman Indrajith
The Paddy Marketing Board has approximately 115,000 metric tonnes of paddy stocks purchased from farmers, which are currently stored in the Board’s warehouses, and it has been planned to retain a sufficient buffer stock from these reserves and sell the remaining quantity in order to provide the necessary storage space and financial resources for the purchase of paddy from farmers during the upcoming Yala season.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to sell the aforementioned paddy stocks
following a formal tender procedure.
The Promotion of Export Agriculture Act, No. 46 of 1992 provides the legal provisions for regulating and promoting the export agriculture sector in this country.
Taking into consideration administrative changes and sectoral developments that have taken place over time, approval was granted at the Cabinet Meetings held on 2023-09-04 and 2025-08-11 to amend the said Act, which has not been updated for over 30 years.
The proposed amendments are intended to amend the designations of the Head of the Department of Export Agriculture and other officials, and to provide a clearer definition of the term “the export agricultural crop.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to publish in the Government Gazette the Draft Export Agriculture Promotion (Amendment) Bill, prepared in all three languages by the Legal Draftsman to amend the Export Agriculture Promotion Act, No. 46 of 1992, and thereafter submit the same to Parliament for its concurrence
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Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, appointed as Director General of the Department of Management Services
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, to appoint Ms. M.K.D.N. Madampe, an officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service in the Special Grade who is currently serving as an Additional Director General of the Department of Management Services, to the post of Director General of the Department of Management Services with immediate effect.
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