The solar electrification of religious sites across Sri Lanka, with an allocation of US$ 10 million is to be initiated by the end of this year under the $15 million Indian grant extended to Sri Lanka for the strengthening of Buddhist ties between the two countries.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for this significant project was jointly finalized by the governments of India and Sri Lanka.

By the end of this year, the work on the first phase of the solar power project for religious places of worship will be completed, Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake said.

The Minister said this following a discussion with Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera at the Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry.

The project of installing solar power systems at religious places of worship will be implemented under the aid project received from the Indian Government to promote Buddhist relations between Sri Lanka and India.

“Under this project, relief should be provided to Buddhist temples and institutions operating as teaching centers of all religions.

Considering the advantages of a ground-mounted solar panel system, the electricity generated by it should be given to the national grid for electricity consumption in religious places of worship,” Minister Wijesekera said.

The Minister further said that apart from the shrine of Sri Pada, a system will be prepared to provide electricity through solar panels to the streets and other places where people come to worship.

This Indian financial grant will cover around 2,000 religious places of worship, he said.

Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has announced that each religious place would be provided with a five-kilowatt solar panel, while government institutions would receive solar panels suitable for their roof sizes and the project is scheduled to commence within the next two months.

The announcement on the India-assisted renewable energy project came following the Power and Energy Ministry’s earlier decision to use an extended loan of $100 million Indian credit line to fix rooftop solar panels in government institutions and religious places.

Colombo District Member of Parliament, Patali Champika Ranawaka, voiced serious apprehensions during a parliamentary session, revealing that the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has fallen short in tax collection, leaving nearly one trillion rupees uncollected. Ranawaka highlighted that only 50 percent of the anticipated tax revenue has been secured, shedding light on the gravity of the fiscal situation.

Addressing the debate on the second reading of the budget, Ranawaka emphasized the social ramifications of increasing taxes without effectively collecting them, cautioning against major infrastructure projects due to financial constraints. He underscored the impending necessity of a $1.65 billion loan and stressed the importance of completing the Financial Fund to secure these funds. Highlighting the absence of the September loan installment and the urgency to restructure foreign debt, Ranawaka painted a stark picture of the economic challenges facing the nation.

Expressing concern over the migration of skilled professionals like teachers and doctors, Ranawaka emphasized the exodus of human capital from the country, leading to detrimental consequences. He called for a comprehensive recovery program implemented at the grassroots level to avert potential future crises, warning of imminent difficulties for the common man if urgent measures are not taken.

In a historic move, the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) team revealed plans to honor Sri Lanka’s captain, Chamari Athapaththu, by dedicating a special seating zone at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Named “Chamari Bay,” this designated area is set to debut during the upcoming Derby clash against the Sydney Sixers on November 26th.

Celebrating Athapaththu’s remarkable cricketing prowess, this initiative aims to recognize her contributions to the ongoing ninth season of WBBL, where she stands as the third-highest run scorer.

Marking a significant milestone, “Chamari Bay” represents the first instance of an overseas player being bestowed with such an honor in the form of a dedicated seating zone at the SCG. This move underscores the impact and admiration Athapaththu has garnered in the league, solidifying her presence as a notable figure in women’s cricket.

1. The 9th edition of the joint military exercise named “Mitra Shakti-2023” between the armed forces of India & SL commences in Pune: the exercise involves an Indian contingent primarily representing the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment and the Sri Lankan 53rd Infantry Division.
2. President Ranil Wickremesinghe leaves the island to attend the inauguration ceremony of Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, President-elect of the Maldives.
3. Minister Dr Bandula Gunawardene says avoiding loans from global entities & defaulting on payments leads to the refusal of other nations to accept letters of credit issued by SL & would hinder the importation of vital commodities such as petroleum, gas, medicines & essential food items.
4. Foreign Affairs Ministry says Sri Lanka has been elected to the Executive Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for the term 2023-2027.
5. Minister Vidura Wickramanayake says the work on the 1st phase of the solar power project for religious places of worship will be completed by the end of the year.
6. Medical & Civil Rights Professional Assn of Doctors President Dr. Chamal Sanjeeve laments that the 2024 Budget Proposals had not recognised health priorities, such as the state of malnutrition in the island.
7. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages’ newest ship “Resilient Lady” makes her maiden call to Asia and to the Colombo Harbour: the “Resilient Lady” is considered a marvel of modern maritime engineering & has a passenger capacity of 2,770 passengers across 1,404 cabins & suites.
8. Women’s Big Bash League announces that a specially dedicated seating zone at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground will be named after Sri Lanka Captain Chamari Athapaththu:the zone will be called “Chamari Bay” to celebrate the Sri Lanka skipper’s cricketing prowess.
9. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe says he faces death threats: asserts there are 2 statements that depict a threat to him and his family.
10. Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe orders a probe on SL Cricket Selection Committee Chairman Pramodya Wickramasinghe’s statement where he had made allegations on “match-fixing” and betting.

In a recent parliamentary address, Health and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana announced a pivotal expansion in price control regulations for essential drugs. Effective immediately, an additional 100 vital medications will fall under the purview of government-imposed price caps.

The existing government-controlled list covers 100 essential drugs, and the introduction of control measures for an additional 100 medications will bring the total tally of regulated medicines to 200.

Dr. Pathirana highlighted the significance of this measure, emphasizing its impact on ensuring fair pricing across multiple brands of the same medication. With some medicines available in 10 to 15 brands, the price control directive aims to facilitate ease of access for patients by regulating reasonable pricing standards.

The Minister shed light on the decision-making process, indicating that a committee comprising 11 experts in the fields of medicine and economics is responsible for determining the price control parameters.

Providing further insights, Dr. Pathirana revealed that out of the 862 imported essential medicines available in the country, a substantial 675 of them are sourced through the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in most provinces of the island after 01.00 p.m.

Fairly heavy showers above 50 mm are likely at some places in Uva province.

Showers may occur in coastal area of Western and Southern provinces and in Northern province during the morning too.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Colombo (LNW): Education Minister Susil Premajayantha emphasised the importance of fostering a well-rounded educational experience that includes co-curricular and extra-curricular activities to develop versatile human resources.

He made these remarks during the opening ceremony of the inaugural session of the student parliament programme at Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo.

Minister Premajayantha highlighted the active implementation of the Student Parliament Programme in major schools across the island.

This program plays a vital role in enhancing students’ personality development by instilling leadership skills, team spirit, respect for ideas, listening abilities, patience, and fostering a broader vision and understanding.

Moreover, the programme aims to raise awareness among students about universal suffrage, the democratic role of parliament, fiscal responsibility, the powers and responsibilities of the legislative, executive, and judiciary branches, as well as providing insights into local and foreign governance systems, parliamentary functioning, election procedures, and the role of people’s representatives.

Implemented collaboratively by the Election Commission and the Ministry of Education, the Student Parliament Programme focuses on engaging school children directly in nation-building efforts, achieving common national education goals, and developing essential skills through citizenship education.

The event was attended by Dr. J Sumedha Jayaweera, the Principal of Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, Colombo, Chairman of the Election Commission RMAL Ratnayake, Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake, and other distinguished guests.