The Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 has enabled provisions to impose telecommunication levy. The budget 2026 has proposed to introduce amendments for the act including changes imposed from time to time regarding the telecommunication levy.

Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated a draft bill for
amending the Telecommunication Levy Act No. 21 of 2011 including provisions to extend applicable to envisage all the tax amounts applicable from the year 2015 along with the telecommunication levy existing at present, applicable of taxes on unrecovered revenue (bad debts) and to extend the provisions of that act to cater the telecommunication suppliers.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the  President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said draft bill in the Government Gazette Notification and subsequently to submit the same for the concurrence of the House.

In accordance with the guidance of the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros and the All Ceylon Shasanarakshaka Mandalaya, it has been identified as appropriate to conduct the State Vesak Festival for the year 2026 (Buddhist Era 2570) at the historic Medillawala Purana Viharaya in Thihagoda, Matara District, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, and the Department of Buddhist Affairs.

It has been decided to conduct this year’s State Vesak Festival under the theme “Abhiththaretha Kalyane” (“Let us
hasten towards the common good”). Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the joint resolution furnished by the Hon. Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government and the. Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to: conduct the National Vesak Festival
centering the Medillawala Purana Viharaya in Thihagoda, Matara District; to declare the period from 27 May to 02 June 2026 as Vesak Week; and organize and implement various Buddhist religious programmes across the island during that period.

With the objective of promoting the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, approval was granted at the Cabinet meeting held on 21-07-2025 to implement a programme to issue free tourist visas, for a period of six months, without charging fees, to passport holders of 39 selected countries.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the  Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to submit, for the concurrence of the Parliament, the draft regulations prepared by the Legal Draftsman for the issuance
of free tourist visas in terms of the provisions of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act.