News
Electricity Consumers’ Association to protest against power tariff hike
The Electricity Consumers’ Association yesterday charged that the government was planning to raise electricity tariffs by 20 percent.
“We strongly oppose this move,” Association’s Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika told a media briefing in Colombo yesterday.
Dhammika said that the proposed restructuring of the CEB had been first introduced by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera in 2023, and later debated in Parliament in 2024. At the time, NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Ranil Wickremesinghe had described the Bill as regressive and anti-people, with Dissanayake himself pledging to introduce fresh legislation if elected. “But now the NPP government is pushing through that very anti-people Bill,” he said, noting that under the restructuring plan, the CEB would be split into four profit-driven companies, at the expense of the present cost-based system. The Public Utilities Commission would also be stripped of its regulatory powers, leaving consumers without a mechanism to lodge complaints. “Electricity tariffs will be fixed at the discretion of the Minister and the Finance Ministry, not in the interests of consumers. That is why we oppose this,” Dhammika said.
The Electricity Consumers’ Association declared its support for trade union action by CEB workers against the move, and vowed resistance to any tariff hike. “We will not pay the increased bills. The government must withdraw this plan immediately. If not, we will launch countrywide protests. The first demonstration will begin next Wednesday (Sept 10) at Maradana,” Dhammika said.
By Anuradha Hiripitiyage ✍️
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 in order to introduce amendments to the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017 including the proposed tax revisions to enhance the tax structure paving way for state financial integrity based on revenue.
Accordingly, the revised draft bill has been prepared by the legal draftsman and clearance of the Attorney General has been received.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval for
the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Policy Planning and Economic Development to publish the aforementioned draft bill in the government gazette notification and subsequently, forward the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
The National Mineral Policy was prepared for the first time in the year 1999, and the aforementioned policy has been amended in 2023 to cover matters such as preparing an updated data system related to mineral resources, adding value to the export of minerals, encouraging mineral-related industrialists, extracting mineral resources and managing the environment sustainably, and resolving the issues related to the ownership of the land arising in extracting mineral resources.
The revised National Mineral Policy has been reupdated in line with the manifesto “A Sustainable Resource Utilization – Generation of the Highest Benefit” under the policy statement of the current government” A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life.”
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the Minister of Industries and
Entrepreneurship to implement the so-formulated “National Mineral Policy—2026.”
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Amendment of the Inland Revenue Act No. 24 of 2017
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