News

NPP to go ahead with Unique Digital Identity project amidst protests

Published

1 year ago

2025/02/11

Jha addressing the gathering (pic courtesy IHC)

In spite of strong opposition, the NPP government and India are going ahead with the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project. The National Freedom Front and Frontline Socialist Party, both JVP offshoots, have bitterly warned of catastrophic consequences for the country from the India-led project.

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha explained measures taken in this regard at the recent BIMSTEC Digital Conclave 2025 in Colombo.

The IHC quoted Jha as having said: “In the bilateral context, the recent visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka to India added further momentum to this very important pillar of cooperation – people-centric digitisation. The leaders agreed to expedite implementation of the India-assisted INR 300 crores Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project which will act as the foundational DPI and unlock developmental dividends of the DPI Stack for Sri Lanka. A Joint Working Group on Digital Economy has also been set up. Technical discussions on the implementation of DigiLocker in Sri Lanka are ongoing. While UPI Payments was launched in Sri Lanka last year for the ease of payments for Indian tourists, we are now looking at extending the use of UPI digital payments for the benefit of both countries.

There is also interest for bilateral exchanges to garner learnings from India’s GeM portal, PM Gati Shakti digital platform on coordinated and integrated development of infrastructure, digitized customs and other taxation procedures, with a view to exploring the benefits of establishing equivalent systems in Sri Lanka. The benefits of these are clearly visible in India. GeM Portal alone has led to saving of 13 billion US Dollars in the last decade by bringing down expenditure on projects and procurements. The GATI SHAKTI has significantly expanded the pace of infrastructure development. Similarly, Digitisation of Taxation System has increased revenues and has even brought in greater transparency, the Indian HC claimed.

I look forward to the conversations at the BIMSTEC Digital Conclave, as it takes the participants through the entire bouquet of DPI stack.

Before I conclude, let me just say that the digital world is shifting gears from open APIs (Application Programming Interface) to open source AI models. India is building foundational AI models using 18000+ high-end GPUs and large non-personal data sets. Compared to global models’ computation costing 2.5 to 3 dollars per hour usage, India’s AI Model computation will cost less than 100 rupees per hour after 40% government subsidy. India’s AI Mission is based on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s Vision of AI for All. As in other areas, we are ready and willing to share our journey with our closest maritime neighbor-Sri Lanka and our BIMSTEC partners.”

HC Jha congratulated NPP government for the digital initiatives launched, including the ‘GovPay’ platform for digitization of all government payments, and the introduction of the Electronic Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates facility for Sri Lankans abroad.

These initiatives form part of the special emphasis laid on digital transformation by the Sri Lankan Government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka. This emphasis, together with Sri Lanka being the BIMSTEC sectoral lead for Science, Technology and Innovation, make Colombo the obvious choice for hosting this Digital Conclave, he said.

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Cabinet approves construction of new 300 bed Base Hospital in Deniyaya

Published

6 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.

The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.

News

Cabinet nod to legally empower methodology for implementing the ‘Praja Shakthi’ poverty alleviation national movement

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/18

Priyan

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill to legally empower the implementation of ‘Praja Shakthi’ (Strength of the Community) poverty alleviation national movement

News

NPP not under Indian pressure to hold PC polls – JVP

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/18

Sahan Weerasooriya

Tilvin Silva

…preliminary work started on new Constitution

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva yesterday (17) maintained that the NPP government was not under Indian pressure to hold the long delayed Provincial Council elections.

The top JVP official said so appearing on Sirasa Pathikada, anchored by Asoka Dias. Tilvin Silva said that neither the devolution nor terrorism issues had been discussed during his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, in New Delhi. This was Tilvin Silva’s first visit to India.

Declaring that politics hadn’t been on the agenda, the JVPer said that the Indian focus was entirely on economic development and technology.

The JVP General Secretary visited India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme from 5-12 February 2026. General Secretary Silva was accompanied by Kitnan Selvaraj, MP, Ilankumaran Karunanathan, MP, JVP Central Committee Member Janaka Adhikari, JVP’s Media Unit Head Hemathilaka Gamage and Member of JVP’s International Relations Department Kalpana Madhubhashini. The delegation visited New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram.

Responding to another query, Tilvin Silva said that Dr. S. Jaishankar had reiterated that India would always remain a true and trusted partner for Sri Lanka, in accordance with its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR.’

Referring to the second JVP insurrection in the late 1980s, the JVPer claimed that they had not been against India but responded to the actions of the then Indian government.

Sri Lanka enacted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the wake of the Indo-Lanka peace accord of July 1987 to pave the way for Provincial Councils.

Tilvin Silva said that since they came to power, Indo-Sri Lanka relations had changed. “India has realised we could work together,” he said.

The JVP official said that preliminary work was underway, regarding the formulation of a new Constitution. The abolition of executive presidency and creation of an Office of President sans executive powers, too, would be addressed, he said, adding that the strengthening of the legislature was the other issue at hand.

Pointing out that the NPP had 2/3 majority in Parliament and could introduce a new Constitution on their own, Tilvin Silva said that they intended to obtain views of all and study the past processes in a bid to secure consensus. The JVP, as the party that campaigned against the introduction of executive presidency, way back in 1978, would lead the current effort to do away with the existing Constitution, he said.

Tilvin promised that they would implement what was in their manifesto.

The interviewer also raised the issue of abolishing the pensions for ex-Presidents. Tilvin Silva said that the Supreme Court, too, had approved the move to abolish pensions to ex-MPs. Therefore there was no issue with that, however, the ex-Presidents pensions couldn’t be done away with as they were made through the Constitution. That would be addressed when the government introduced a new Constitution in consultation with other stakeholders.

By Shamindra Ferdinando