News
Private bus owners threaten strike action unless random emission test stop
Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) Chairman, Gemunu Wijeratne, expressed concern over the random emission tests conducted on private commuter buses by flying squads from the Transport Ministry and warned of a strike if these tests continue.
He warned that if the Transport Ministry failed to address the issue, the Association would take drastic action, without prior notice, potentially bringing the country’s transportation to a standstill.
Wijeratne mentioned that a discussion is scheduled with the Transport Ministry Secretary and the CPC (Ceylon Petroleum Corporation) in the coming week. However, if the discussion does not yield positive results, the bus owners may be forced to suspend operations, nationwide.
Wijeratne said there is higher sulfur density in auto diesel fuel distributed across the country, which stands at 500 parts per million (ppm). This higher sulfur content leads to increased emissions, he said.
He alleged that emission tests are conducted suddenly, and selectively, on private buses, by the flying squads, often with the assistance of the Police. He further claimed that such tests are not carried out on State-run Sri Lanka Transport Board buses.
Wijeratne emphasized that obtaining an Emission Test report is mandatory for acquiring Revenue Licenses, and Vehicle Fitness Certificates necessary for obtaining a Route Permit. Consequently, he has requested the DMT Commissioner-General and the Transport Ministry Secretariat to discontinue this allegedly unfair programme.
Highlighting the disparity in diesel sulfur densities, Wijeratne pointed out that the imported auto diesel fuel has a sulfur density of 500 ppm, whereas other countries maintain levels as low as 0.25 ppm. This disparity, combined with the use of higher sulfur auto diesel, leads to uncontrolled emissions, despite the buses being equipped with Euro 4 engines. To address this, Wijeratne suggested the use of Super Diesel.
He further criticized the lack of emission tests for SLTB buses, stating that they are exempt from random emission tests. If this discrepancy continues, the LPBOA (Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association) may stage an unplanned nationwide bus strike to draw attention to their concerns and potentially disrupt transportation services.
As per the provisions of section 51 of the Public Finance Managaement Act No. 44 of 2024, the public should be issued with a report on the final budgetary situation for each year and, the report is then published in the official website of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Thereby the report has to be submitted to the Parliament. The final budgetary situation report (Annual Report) – 2025 has been prepared by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and published. The report contains the Public Finance Policy, strategies and challenges, economic trends in 2025, macro – economic and socio – economic indicators covering all sectors of the economy as well as description on the global economic growth.
Furthermore, it accompanies a detailed description government revenue and expenditure, cash flow management, financing the budget deficit and the loan structure.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 to Parliament.
Business
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.03.2026 to obtain United States Dollars 380 million from the policy – based loan facilities of the Asian Development Bank in the year 2026.
United States Dollars 100 million out of it is allocated for Trade, Investment and Industries Development Programme – Sub Programme 1. However, amidst the economic uncertainty resulting from the current Middle East crisis and the climatic tragedies, the Asian Development Bank has agreed to assist
by increasing a supplementary financing package of United States Dollars 100 million so that it will beMincreased up to United States Dollars 200 million.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to take further measures to obtain the said loan grant.
News
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was given at the meeting held on 23.02.2026 to impose the custom import duty amounts under four (04) categories as 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% which had been executed only under three (03) categories in order to increase the target export income of the country, to execute the
recommendations of the national customs duty policies committee, and to implement new national sub division customs codes for promoting the local agricultural and industrial sector.
Imposing provisions in relation to the above, the Revenue Protection Order – No. 01/2026 under the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 has been published in the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2478/03 of 03.03.2026.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the said revenue protection order to Parliament for its concurrence.
Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 submited to parliament
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Resettlement of unauthorized settlers affected by the Land Acquisition process for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project
Cabinet approves project to modernize school hostel facilities during the 2026–2028 period at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,008 million
New National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management to be drafted
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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