News
Sumanthiran slams govt. over travel restrictions
By Dinasena Ratugamage
TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran says the police should be immediately stopped from arresting and harassing people who breach travel restrictions.
Addressing the media on Monday, the MP said that the government should impose and implement travel restrictions for the purpose of preventing the spread of the Covid-19 virus but not to suppress people.
Sumanthiran said that the police made arrests making use of the travel restrictions that had been introduced only recently. The were not laws, but regulations. It was illegal and immoral to convert them into laws by the police. Those restrictions were implemented as per the will of the politicians and the policemen, he said.
Sumanthiran said that everybody knew that it was the duty and responsibility of the government to control the spread of the virus and when imposing travel restrictions the authorities should take into consideration the plight of the people. The government had still not come up with a programme to meet the needs of the people in the North and the East. “There are people in remote villages without food and medicine. It is so unjust that army and police swoop in whenever helpless people come out to find food or medicine and thereafter harass and detain them,” the MP said.
Business
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.03.2026 to obtain United States Dollars 380 million from the policy – based loan facilities of the Asian Development Bank in the year 2026.
United States Dollars 100 million out of it is allocated for Trade, Investment and Industries Development Programme – Sub Programme 1. However, amidst the economic uncertainty resulting from the current Middle East crisis and the climatic tragedies, the Asian Development Bank has agreed to assist
by increasing a supplementary financing package of United States Dollars 100 million so that it will beMincreased up to United States Dollars 200 million.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to take further measures to obtain the said loan grant.
News
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was given at the meeting held on 23.02.2026 to impose the custom import duty amounts under four (04) categories as 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% which had been executed only under three (03) categories in order to increase the target export income of the country, to execute the
recommendations of the national customs duty policies committee, and to implement new national sub division customs codes for promoting the local agricultural and industrial sector.
Imposing provisions in relation to the above, the Revenue Protection Order – No. 01/2026 under the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 has been published in the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2478/03 of 03.03.2026.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the said revenue protection order to Parliament for its concurrence.
News
Resettlement of unauthorized settlers affected by the Land Acquisition process for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project
A committee chaired by the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretary has been appointed to provide housing for unauthorised settlers displaced due to the land acquisition process required for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project.
Based on the recommendations submitted by the said committee, housing units have already been allocated to 29 displaced family units from the ‘Sarasavi Uyana’ housing scheme, which is implemented by the Urban Development Authority.
Taking into account unique grievances and specific circumstances identified during field inquiries—such as instances where the floor area of the lost residence exceeds that of the newly allocated housing unit, multiple sub-families live
together within a single household at the time of land acquisition, or the presence of unmarried individuals with special needs—the committee has further recommended the allocation of housing units to an additional 08 displaced residents over and above the initial 29 family units.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban
Development to implement the recommendations of the said committee.
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Resettlement of unauthorized settlers affected by the Land Acquisition process for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project
Cabinet approves project to modernize school hostel facilities during the 2026–2028 period at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,008 million
New National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management to be drafted
Cabinet green light to host 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions from 23 – 26 June in Sri Lanka
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