News
As country scrapes barrel for seven days to pay, two Russian ships finally unload badly required coal
By Ifham Nizam
The second shipment of coal is scheduled to be unloaded at the Norochcholai Coal Fired Power Plant Complex today despite rough seas; it is the first of the two shipments of 120,000 metric tonnes. However, despite Energy and Power Minister Kanchana Wijesekera’s twitter statement that USD 38 million had been settled as payment for two shipments of 120,000 metric tonnes of coal, only a part of it had been paid for, according to sources.
Fortunately for Sri Lanka both coal shipments had come from Russia, sources said.
Power and Energy Ministry officials said that only USD 14 million had been paid and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) top management was doing its utmost to provide rupees to the Central Bank.
Officials also said that the People’s Bank could not go on providing overdraft to the CEB.
The CEB is very badly hit with daily loses of Rs. 500 million, while being saddled with nearly Rs. 50 billion in unsettled electricity bills of its customers, a senior official said.
Minister officials also said that Minister Wijesekera had held discussions with the Indian High Commission and it was understood that India would help Sri Lanka with further fuel credits.
“Two vessels carrying 120,000 MT of Coal began unloading after the payment of USD 38 million,” Minister Wijesekera maintained.
“With these two vessels the Coal requirement before the monsoon deadline is fulfilled.”
Officials pointed out that the Southwest monsoon was expected next month, and coal could not be unloaded onto barges due to rough seas. Coal could be next imported in September.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka on Monday agreed to pay for ships carrying coal. A senior CEB official stated that the Central Bank had informed that it would provide the required dollars for the ships.
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.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
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The sun will be directly overhead Colombo, Awissawella, Talawakelle, Dimbula, Galakumbura and Dambagalla at about 12:12 noon today [07]
On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka during 05th to 14th of April in this year.
The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (07th) are Colombo, Awissawella, Talawakelle, Dimbula, Galakumbura and Dambagalla at about 12:12 noon.
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