News
Dullas: 7,000 solar power plants in three years
By Ifham Nizam
The government would complete 7,000 new solar power plants under the village power plant project, Minister of Power, Dullas Alahapperuma said yesterday in Colombo at the launch of the first phase of the project.
The project would add 700 MW to the national grid in three years, he said. “Tenders will be called for the construction of 880 power plants, as the first phase of the project. These power plants will be added to the national grid within a period of seven months. The contribution of solar power to the national grid has been only 417 MW. This project will double that contribution.”
“The concept of a power plant for each village will encourage 7,000 local entrepreneurs and create many new employment opportunities,” he said, noting that he was grateful to State Minister Duminda Dissanayake and other officials who had played a key role in formulating the concept.
“These 7,000 power plants would be set up under a 20-year agreement with the Ceylon Electricity Board.
“Renewable energy is our future. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s vision is to increase the contribution of renewable energy to 70% of the national requirement by 2030.”
Latest News
Concessionary priced food packages for new ‘Aswesuma’ applicants from 01st to 13th April
In keeping with the proposal by the President in his 2025 budget, for the provision of a package essential goods at a concessionary price during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year Festival season, it has been planned to provide a food package containing essential food items valued at Rs. 5000/- for only Rs. 2,500/-.
It is expected to select appropriate beneficiaries from among the 812,753 candidates who have submitted new applications for Aswesuma benefits.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development jointly with the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to take necessary steps to provide the food package to the beneficiaries through the Lanka Sathosa outlet network and COOPFED outlets from 01.04.2025 to 13.04.2025
The Cabinet of Ministers have decided as follows considering the resolutions submitted by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development along with the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments on payment of salaries according to the revised salary scales with effect from 01.04.2025 based on the resolution furnished by the President for revising the salaries of government service by the budget 2025;
• To empower the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments to issue circular instructions to the the secretaries of all the Ministries, Local Government Secretaries and Heads of Departments in regard to salary revisions of the government service.
• To empower the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to issue circular instructions for state corporations, statutory boards and fully government owned companies and other institutions.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted to amend the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 for remedying the shortcomings related to the transparency according to the international standards for prevention of money laundering, financing terrorism and other illegal activities.
Accordingly, the draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman has been revised as per instructions provided by the Attorney General subject to the special decision of the Supreme Court No. SC/SD/92/2024 and clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the final draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsman.
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Safety and Cooperative Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Concessionary priced food packages for new ‘Aswesuma’ applicants from 01st to 13th April
Salary revision of the Government Service – 2025
Amendment of the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 to be Gazetted
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