News
Over one-billion-rupee loss from Harin’s Google Loon project alone
COPE finds ICTA a drain on public purse
By Saman Indrajith
An investigation conducted by the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) has revealed that the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (Pvt) Ltd (ICTA) drained public funds running into billions on failed projects.
The COPE inquiry on Tuesday found that the e-Pension Project initiated by the ICTA at a cost of Rs 278.54 million had come a cropper.
The ICTA was entrusted with the responsibility of procuring the hardware and software for the project using government funding to provide pension online to the pensioners of the Western Province, covering the District Secretariat, the Armed Forces, the Department of Prisons, the Department of Railways and the Department of Civil Defence. However, given various software and hardware issues, the project was not implemented countrywide and abandoned on Nov 1, 2013 causing a loss of Rs 278.54 million.
Parliament sources said that the COPE investigation had found that the Google Loon Project intiated by Harin Fernando was also among the listed projects of ICTA. Although the Google Loon project to provide Internet access countrywide had not been executed, the ICTA had suffered over one-billion-rupee loss on the project. Rs. 1,851,322 had been spent to get the Google Loon equipment released from the customs, the COPE inquiry has revealed Another Rs. 6,427,941 was spent on project promotions.
The COPE investigation chaired by Prof. Charitha Herath was attended by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, State Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Indika Anuruddha and MPs Eran Wickramaratne, Jagath Pushpakumara, Premnath C. Dolawatta, S.M. Marikkar, Patali Champika Ranawaka and Shanakiya Rasamanickam.
It was also found that Rs. 850.47 million had been approved and Rs. 148.33 million spent on another failed project titled Lanka Government Network (LGN) launched by ICTA under the yahapalana government.
The LGN launched to enhance efficiency of the public service by bringing all state institutions under one umbrella network had also failed, sources said.
MP Patali Champika Ranawaka pointed out that the ICTA amidst the failure after failure continued to launch more than 500 other similar projects adding to the losses.
It was also revealed that the Rs. 32.5 mn spent on the procurement of the project by the National Intellectual Property Office under the name ‘e-NIPO’ had been utilised by the ICTA to pay salaries of its officials.
It was disclosed that a previously failed project called ‘e-Local Authorities’ had been re-launched in 2016. The investigation revealed that Rs. 39 million had been spent as at Dec 31, 2017, but that amount had not been included in the performance reports.
COPE Chairman Prof. Herath pointed out that ICTA 2017 corporate plan had cost Rs. 2,737,000, but been discarded later.
Prof. Hearth directed ICTA senior officials to conduct their own investigation from 2003 to 2019 with regard to the issue of corporate plans and report back to the COPE. He had also instructed the officials to initiate legal action against those responsible for the losses, Parliament sources said.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya emphasized that addressing the drug issue in the country must be treated as a national priority, highlighting that it must deliver results at the ground level.
A meeting to brief the Prime Minister on the National Strategic Plan for the Management, Treatment and Rehabilitation of Persons with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) 2026–2030 was held with the participation of officials from the Ministry of Health and Mass Media and other key stakeholders on 13th of March at the Temple Trees.
The discussion focused on the proposed national strategy developed to address the growing health, social and economic challenges associated with substance use disorders in Sri Lanka. The strategic plan aims to strengthen prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration services through a coordinated and evidence-based national approach.
During the meeting, attention was drawn to existing gaps in early identification of substance use disorders, continuity of care, community-based follow-up and reintegration of recovering individuals into society. The plan proposes several key interventions, including strengthening screening and symptomatic treatment at primary healthcare and outpatient levels, improving hospital-based treatment and follow-up services, expanding residential rehabilitation facilities, and enhancing community-based rehabilitation and relapse prevention programmes.
Special emphasis has also been placed on providing targeted support for vulnerable groups, including children and adolescents, pregnant women, mothers with children and prison inmates.
Speaking on the importance of strengthening the national response to drug issues, the Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya noted that the drug menace has evolved into a serious social crisis that threatens social stability and security of families and the nation as a whole highlighting that law enforcement and rehabilitation in this regard must be given equal priority.
The Prime Minister further underscored the importance of including public awareness initiatives and responsible media reporting as key components of the national strategy.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Ministry of Health Dr. Anil Jasinghe, officials from the Department of Prisons, Bureau of Rehabilitation, Sri Lanka Police Ministry of health, Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Justice and National Integration ,Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and other relevant department and ministries.
[Prime minister’s Media Division]
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) on Friday said the largest groundwater source discovered in Sri Lanka so far had been identified during tube-well drilling near the Pitabeddara Police Station.
Indrajith Gamage, geologist in charge of the Southern Province, said the source recorded a continuous flow of about 10,000 litres (10 cubic metres) per minute, marking the first instance in the country where a groundwater source of that magnitude had been found.
He noted that the previous largest groundwater source was discovered in the Madhu area, which recorded a flow of about 7,000 litres per minute.
According to the NWSDB, the tube well was drilled following geological studies of rock layers and the identification of underground water through fractures in rock strata using specialised technical instruments.
The Board said steps would be taken to distribute water from the newly discovered source to residents facing shortages in Pitabeddara, Morawaka and surrounding areas.
The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has formally handed over its historical records to the National Archives Department, entrusting over a century of the nation’s commercial history to the country’s official custodians of heritage.
The archive, spanning from the CCC’s founding in 1839 to 1973, includes correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, ledgers, and publications that chronicle the development of trade, enterprise, and industry in Sri Lanka. Together, the records provide a rare and detailed account of the island’s economic evolution and the role of its business community in shaping national progress.
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Lanka discovers largest groundwater source
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