News
COPA to evaluate performance of state institutions this year
By Saman Indrajith
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) will soon start evaluating the performance of government institutions, COPA Chairman Lasantha Alagiyawanna told Parliament on Thursday (07).MP Alagiyawanna presented the second report of a web-based financial performance evaluation programme on the accounting practices of all ministries, departments and other state institutions in 2021.
Since 2015, COPA has collected data from 840 state institutions, evaluated the performance of each and every institution, and graded them according to a stipulated and pre-determined marking scheme, according to the COPA Chairman.
“The 2022 report will be presented next month. The report for 2023 will be issued in 2024 as scheduled,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s Office, Office of the Leader of the House in Parliament, and National Police Commission, had performed well, he said.
The Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Ports and shipping, Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation had followed the best accounting practices among ministries in 2022, he said.
The Department of Project Management and Monitoring, the Department of Treasury Operations, the Rubber Development Department, the Sri Lanka Air Force, and the Land Use Policy Planning Department have scored the most points among state departments, Alagiyawanna said.
Out of the district secretariats, Kurunegala, Kilinochchi, and Kandy have come out on top, he said.Out of the provincial councils, Wayamba has been evaluated as having the best accounting practices, Alagiyawanna said.
“State institutions have made substantial progress in accounting practices. Yet there are issues. Just because these institutions have scored well in our report doesn’t mean there are no irregularities in these institutions. COPA will also start evaluating the performance made by these institutions with the money allocated in 2023,” he said.
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sahyadri which arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 04 Apr 25, departed the island today (07 Apr). The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Port of Colombo, following naval traditions.
During the ship’s stay in Colombo, crew members of INS Sahyadri took part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, aimed at enhancing mutual cooperation. In addition, they also explored some tourist attractions in the country. Further, personnel of Sri Lanka Navy had the opportunity to visit INS Sahyadri, gaining insights into her operational capabilities.
Latest News
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
INS Sahyadri sets sail from Colombo
Belgian prince loses bid for benefits on top of £300k royal allowance
Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
-
Business18 hours agoColombo Coffee wins coveted management awards
-
Features2 days agoStarlink in the Global South
-
Business3 days agoDaraz Sri Lanka ushers in the New Year with 4.4 Avurudu Wasi Pro Max – Sri Lanka’s biggest online Avurudu sale
-
Business4 days agoStrengthening SDG integration into provincial planning and development process
-
Business3 days agoNew SL Sovereign Bonds win foreign investor confidence
-
Sports5 days agoTo play or not to play is Richmond’s decision
-
Features2 days agoModi’s Sri Lanka Sojourn
-
Sports4 days agoNew Zealand under 85kg rugby team set for historic tour of Sri Lanka