News
Digitalisation best antidote to corruption in Excise Dept. – Harsha
SJB MP Dr Harsha de Silva has called upon the government to digitalse the Excise Department functions to prevent department officials from engaging in corrupt practices, including skimping collection of taxes from liquor producing companies.
“As of now the companies owe over seven billion rupees to the government. There are irregularities in excise officers collecting these taxes. To prevent these malpractices we have to digitalize the Excise Department’s work,” Dr de Silva said, addressing a seminar organised by the Advocata Institute in Colombo.
Dr de Silva said that Excise Department officers capitalised on the non-upgrading of department functions before the traditional method of collecting taxes where officers personally handle tax collecting. This process should have been digitalised many years back. We found this when questioning Exercise Department officers during sectoral oversight committees by MP Patali Champika Ranawaka and myself. We have found that mega scams are taking place in introducing revenue stickers on liquor bottles. These scams cannot be eradicated without introducing a digital system so that these functions could be monitored by others,” Dr de Silva said.
MP Ranawaka said that two parliamentary oversight committees had ordered a ban on the licences of non-tax paying liquor companies last November. “The excise department cancelled the licences of six companies. Within four days the companies had settled their dues, he said. Then, they again stopped paying taxes in December. State revenue could be boosted only if the Excise officials enforced the existing laws properly,” Ranawaka said.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted to the preparation of the Appropriation Bill for the financial year of 2027 at their meeting held on 30.06.2026.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been given to the Appropriation Bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, 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 aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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Cabinet approves aditional Rs. 2,500 million to the Paddy Marketing Board to purchase 2026 Yala harvest
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation to provide an additional Rs. 2,500 million to the Paddy Marketing Board on a reimbursable basis from the Rs. 7,500 million additional allocations granted to the Ministry to implement
the expedited paddy purchasing program for the 2026 Yala harvest.
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Cabinet nod to host the 8th Asian Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the 3rd Joint Asian and South-East Asian Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
The 8th Asian Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and the 3rd Joint Asian and South-East Asian Regional Conference of the CPA are planned to be held over three days in Colombo during April/May 2027.
Approximately 90 delegates including speakers, Deputy Speakers, Member of Parliamentarians, and Parliamentary officers representing member countries of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, in the Asian and South-East Asian regions, are expected to participate in these conferences.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Prime Minister of the Parliament of Sri Lanka to host the said conferences considering the opportunities to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy and regional cooperation, as well as to enhance international recognition of the Parliament of Sri Lanka within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
Draft of the Appropriation Bill for the Financial Year 2027 su mitted to the Parliament
Cabinet approves aditional Rs. 2,500 million to the Paddy Marketing Board to purchase 2026 Yala harvest
Cabinet nod to host the 8th Asian Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and the 3rd Joint Asian and South-East Asian Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
SAARC Training Workshop on Financial Modeling for Renewable Energy Projects from 5th to 7th October in Colombo
National Children’s Week from 25th September to 01st October
Nairobi and Munich to host 2029 and 2031 World Athletics Championships
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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