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Births decline by 20%, deaths increase by 30% in SL
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Births in Sri Lanka have declined by 20% and deaths have increased by 30% following COVID, according to Professor Indralal de Silva.
Prof. Silva said so yesterday (15) at a policy dialogue on “Shaping the Future: Population Dynamics in Sri Lanka,” hosted by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Sri Lanka.
He said that it was unlikely that Sri Lankan Total Fertility Rate (TFR) would ever reach the replacement level of 2.1 percent in the foreseeable future.
Prof. De Silva said the situation should not be seen as something completely negative.
“This also means most couples have avoided unwanted pregnancies. Parents can also invest more resources in the babies they have.
We can have a high quality population. This is a matter of quality vs. quantity,” he said.
The demographer said that the population of elderly now stood at 3.6 million and that number would increase in the coming decades.
“If the elderly are healthy, they can work longer and accumulate wealth. We need to rethink the retirement age, improve the health span of people and social security,” he said.
Director General of Department of National Planning, Anuradha Kumarasiri, Director of the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Dr Vindya Kumarapeli, and Head of Migration and Urbanisation Policy Research at the IPS, Dr. Bilesha Weeraratne also spoke at the event.
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Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
The Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Russian House in Colombo unveiled a plaque at the public library Colombo today (29th April) in honour of the 80th anniversary of victory day.
Victory Day is celebrated on the 9th of May, the day Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II. It is an important date in the Russian calendar and an integral part of Russian culture.
The plaque was jointly unveiled by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka Lenav Dzhagaryan and Ms Maria Popova Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and Director of the Russian House in Colombo
News
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
It has been recognized that the state enterprises should be re – structured and maintained with proper administration with the assistance of local or foreign investments without being a continuous burden to the General Treasury and the country’s economy. Therefore, it is the policy of the new government to introduce an efficient and accountable mechanism in the regard. An initial draft named “State Commercial Enterprises Management Draft Bill” has been already prepared to introduce a new legal framework required for maintaining after performing necessary restructuring and with proper management of government owned business companies. Thereon, it will be possible to totally free the state entrepreneurship establishments from political influences and appoint professionals with proficiency for its board of directors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to grant policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for the said initial draft and appoint a special committee with the following composition to submit appropriate proposals for further enhancing after reviewing the initial draft:
• Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – (Chairman)
• Hon. Sunil Handunneththi Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship
• Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co – operative Development
• Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Sooriyapperuma Deputy Minister of Finance Plan Implementation
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Administrative Service who served in the post of Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, to the post of Commissioner General of Official Languages with immediate effect.
Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi appointed Commissioner General of Official Languages
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