News
President inaugurates ‘Buddha Rashmi’ Vesak Zone
President Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated the ‘Buddha Rashmi’ Vesak Zone, which is the National Vesak celebration, organized by the Hunupitiya Gangarama Temple, in Colombo, on 03 May.The Vesak programme includes various events organized at the Galle Face Shangri-La Green and Presidential Secretariat Premises on 03, 04, 05, and 06 May.
During the inauguration, the President switched on the lights to mark the start of the Vesak programme and attended the ‘Bhakthi Gee’ event on the steps of the Presidential Secretariat.He then offered flowers to the Buddha statue and participated in religious rituals, at the Seemamalakaya of the Gangarama Temple.
The President also illuminated the ‘Buddha Rashmi Vesak Kalapaya’ electric lights to inaugurate the Vesak celebration.The South Asian Embassies and High Commissions had created exhibition booths at the Vesak Zone to showcase the Buddhist heritage of the Vesak region, which the President visited. He observed the designs and asked for details from the designers.
The President also made a note, in the commemorative book, at the exhibition hall of the Pakistani Buddhist heritage. Later, he visited the Gangarama Temple and received blessings from Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Temple. Additionally, he had a friendly conversation with the local and foreign devotees who had come to visit the Buddha Rashmi Vesak programme.
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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