News
Automobile Association of Ceylon writes to IGP on ‘beggar menace’
The Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) has recently written to IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, urging him to take action against beggars who accost motorists and other road users at colour lights in the Colombo city.
Secretary to AAC, Devapriya Hettiarachchi has informed the IGP that beggars are a nuisance at the traffic lights, where they irritate the motorists by banging on the car windscreen or the glasses.
“Furthermore, some of the beggars fall on the bonnets of vehicles, pretending that the motorists have knocked him down, and create a scene. We, therefore, wish to draw your attention that these unruly behaviour of the beggars has a negative effect on the image and culture of the country,” he said.
Given below are excerpts of the letter: “Automobile Association of Ceylon (AAC) is the oldest and the largest motoring organisation in Sri Lanka established in 1904. We are affiliated to the Federation Internationale De L’Automobile (FIA) which is the World’s largest Mobility and Tourism Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
“Currently, it has been brought to the notice of the Executive Committee that the subject of the Beggar Menace at the Traffic Lights in the Colombo City Limits has gone from bad to worse resulting in untold difficulties being faced by not only the motorists but also all road users, including children. It was reported that these Beggars are a nuisance at the Traffic Lights where they irritate the motorists by banging on the car windscreen or the glasses while creating a traffic congestion. Furthermore, some of the Beggars fall on the bonnet of the vehicle pretending that the motorist had knocked him down and create a scene. We, therefore, wish to draw your attention that these unruly behaviours of the Beggars undoubtably has direct effect on the image and culture of the country.
“We reiterate that this subject had been taken up with the Police Representatives who attend the monthly meetings of the Executive Committee for well over five years and we find that there had been no effective measures taken to eradicate this troublesome public nuisance.
It was, therefore, decided that we will take this matter to a forum with your representative and draw up a suitable programme which could bring an effective and constructive solution to the Beggar Menace at the Traffic Lights, especially within the Colombo City Limits (Zone 1-15).”
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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