News
Sinhala School restored in Batticaloa District after 32 years
The Sinhala School in the Batticaloa district restored after 32 years to meet the urgent needs of the Sinhala people in the district recently under the patronage of Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath.
Earlier, there were 17 Sinhala schools in the Batticaloa district and all of them were closed due to terrorism.
The Kalkudah Siri Seelalankara Sinhala Vidyalaya was established under the full supervision of the Governor and with the intervention of the Chief Incumbent of the Kalkudah Siri Seelalankara Pirivena, Ven. Dimbulagala Devalankara Thera.
Currently there are six students attending academic activities from first grade to fifth grade.
The first two students were admitted to the college by Ven. Ududumbara Kashyapa Thera, Head of the Vipassana Meditation Center, Colombo and Specialist Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa,.
Speaking at the event Governor of the Eastern Province Mrs. Anuradha Yahampath said, “Today is another step forward in our 2500 year old civilization. Today we are able to start the first Sinhala School in Batticaloa after 32 years. It is a privilege in my life to be able to contribute to that noble cause as the Governor. Batticaloa should never be alienated from the Sinhalese people. Restricting a territory to one community would pave the way for separatism. We suffered from it for 30 years. I will do everything we can as a province’s governor to develop this school.”
Prof. Lalithasiri Gunaruwan, Secretary of the Matara Bodhi Conservation Council Rohantha Samarasinghe and Dr. Rani Fernando were also present at the occasion.
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.
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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
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