News
Lanka ranks 79th in Global Knowledge Index
Sri Lanka has been ranked 79th in the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2022, and was deemed a ‘moderate performer in terms of its knowledge infrastructure’. The GKI, compiled by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), assesses 132 countries in areas such as education, innovation, knowledge, the economy, technology, and research and development.
The index aids countries to identify sectors in need of development, while also providing data that can help communities grow. Sri Lanka secured an average score of 43.4, 3.1 points below the world average of 46.5.
The island nation ranked 75th in pre-university education, 56th in technical and vocational education and training, 87th in higher education, 71st in research, development and innovation, 88th in information and communications technology, 83rd in the economic sector and 70th in enabling environment.
The report further noted several areas which could be improved, such as government expenditure on vocational education, primary education, government funding per secondary student, building quality control and the female-to-male ratio in Parliament.
Despite this, however, the GKI 2022 also recognized certain areas of strength, including Sri Lanka’s labour force participation rate with advanced education and short-cycle tertiary education, and the net enrolment rate in lower secondary education. Thus, although having ranked 79th out of the 132 countries from the GKI as a whole, Sri Lanka ranked 16th out of the 28 countries with high human development
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.
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.”
The Gampaha High Court has sentenced Twelve (12) individuals to death over the 2022 murder of former Polonnaruwa District Member of Parliament Amarakeerthi Athukorala and his security officer.
Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017
Cabinet nod for “National Mineral Policy” – 2026
Twelve sentenced to death by Gampaha High Court
Ten new buses with facilities for people with special needs
Ghosts of 2016 writ large as England, West Indies meet again
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
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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