News
Minister raises power cut threat to justify tariff hike in New Year
By Ifham Nizam
A daily eight-hour power cut would be inevitable in the New Year if the power tariff was not increased again, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told the media yesterday.
The Minister said the projected loss of the CEB was Rs. 277 billion in 2023 and electricity tariffs will definitely be revised in January 2023. A detailed report on this would be submitted at the first Cabinet meeting in January 2023.
Minister Wijesekera said two units were operating at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Complex. There was enough coal until 08 January.
He said that three coal shipments were arriving on 05, 09 and 16 January.
He also said that despite the delays in the arrival of coal shipments, the government hoped to keep the duration of power interruptions limited to two hours and 20 minutes.
Plans were underway to provide solar panels to all religious places, free-of-charge, up to five kilowatts. These solar power units would be provided within a period of three months, under an Indian credit facility, said Minister Wijesekera, adding that he believed that it would bring down the electricity cost to a minus in most of the religious places of worship countrywide.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to award the contract for printing and supplying vehicle number plates for the Department of Motor Traffic for a period of five (5) years to M/s South Asian Technologies based on the recommendations of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board.
The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.
Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.
The Werahara office of the Department of Motor Traffic performs issuance of temporary driving licenses in this country based on the driving licenses issued overseas, and measures have been initiated to render the service from a service window of the Department of Motor Traffic established at the Bandaranayake International Airport from 03.08.2025.
The fees charged for issuing temporary driving licenses have been published in Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 prepared under the provisions of the Motor Traffic (Authority 203) Act.
But, as the fee of Rupees 2,000/- charged for the service is not sufficient, the requirement of amending the regulations has been recognized.
The regulations for introducing the revised fees have been published in the government extraordinary gazette
notification No. 2463/04 dated 17.11.2025. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to
submit the regulations to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Selfies and smiles: South Korea seeks ‘new phase’ in ties with China
M/s South Asian Technologies awarded contract to supply vehicle number plates
A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced
Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended
Mrs. P. K. L. S. Panduwawala appointed to the post of Surveyor General
Implementing the programme to provide concession for pepper, coffee and cardamom plantations affected by the disaster
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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