News
Govt. nets Rs 251 million in tax revenue from foreign teledramas since February
The state coffers had raked in Rs. 251 million since February this year by way of taxes on foreign teledramas and films telecast via local channels, Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.
Addressing the Ministerial Consultative Committee in Parliament last week (20), the Minister said that the government had resumed from February levying taxes on foreign teledramas and films aired by local TV channels that had been suspended following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister said that attention would be paid to further increase the amount of tax levied so as to preserve the local culture and local teledrama art and industry and to encourage local artists to engage in it.
Minister Rambukwella said that though the government spent Rs. 22 million a month on telecasting 16 hours of educational programmes for children during the COVID-19 pandemic, the turnover was only Rs. 4 million. The state television channel was fulfilling its responsibility for the sake of children.
Rupavahini had now become a loss-making institution and he hoped to develop it by preserving the national identity and introducing modern programmes, the Minister said.
While expressing his wish to formalise the licensing process for TV channels and the registration process for all news websites currently in operation, the Minister also said that his Ministry was focusing on amending the Press Council Act to make the Media Board Act applicable to all media.
Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, MPs Chandima Weerakkody, Geetha Kumarasinghe, G. Karunakaran, S. Kajendran, Shanakiya Rasamanickam, Uddika Premarathna and Diana Gamage, Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media Jagath P. Wijeweera, Director General of the Department of Government Information Mohan Samaranayake, Chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Reginald Cooray, Chair of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation Hudson Samarasinghe and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Press Council Mahinda Pathirana attended the meeting.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
USA’s Ali Khan claims having been ‘denied’ India visa ahead of T20 World Cup
At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
Business4 days agoDialog and UnionPay International Join Forces to Elevate Sri Lanka’s Digital Payment Landscape
-
News4 days agoSajith: Ashoka Chakra replaces Dharmachakra in Buddhism textbook
-
Features4 days agoThe Paradox of Trump Power: Contested Authoritarian at Home, Uncontested Bully Abroad
-
Features4 days agoSubject:Whatever happened to (my) three million dollars?
-
News4 days agoLevel I landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kandy, Matale and Nuwara-Eliya extended
-
Business23 hours agoNew policy framework for stock market deposits seen as a boon for companies
-
Opinion6 days agoThe minstrel monk and Rafiki, the old mandrill in The Lion King – II
-
News4 days ago65 withdrawn cases re-filed by Govt, PM tells Parliament