Lady Ridgeway Hospital’s Consultant Paediatrician, Dr. Deepal Perera, has raised concerns over a rise in Chikungunya cases among children in recent days. He stated that the disease is transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictusmosquitoes and can be managed with adequate rest and prescribed doses of paracetamol.

Dr. Perera outlined key symptoms of Chikungunya, including high fever, severe joint pain, muscle pain, and darkened skin around the nose. While the disease primarily affects adults, children are also at risk of transmission.

In addition to Chikungunya, Dr. Perera highlighted the prevalence of other diseases among children, such as dengue and childhood asthma. He emphasized the need for maintaining a clean environment to prevent mosquito breeding and reduce the spread of these illnesses.

The public is urged to take proactive measures to control mosquito populations and safeguard children from these potentially serious diseases.

Cabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced yesterday that the Cabinet has approved the implementation of “Sarusara,” a revamped Rural Credit Scheme aimed at supporting minor and small-scale farmers engaged in short-term crop cultivation and gardening.

Addressing the media at the Government Information Department, Minister Jayatissa explained that the programme, originally introduced in 2020 by the Rural Development Department under the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, provided essential working capital assistance to farmers.

However, due to the enactment of the new Central Bank Act, which prohibits the Central Bank from operating concessionary loan schemes, the government has decided to relaunch “Sarusara” under the Development Finance Department of the Treasury starting in 2025.

The scheme is set to be an annual programme, ensuring consistent support for small-scale farmers. Its objectives include empowering rural farmers, fostering rural development, and strengthening the agricultural sector as a whole.

By reviving “Sarusara,” the government aims to provide crucial financial assistance to farmers, contributing to the overall growth of Sri Lanka’s agricultural economy and enhancing livelihoods in rural areas.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that Sri Lanka is poised to achieve an economic growth rate exceeding 4% in 2025. Speaking at the inauguration of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce-hosted Economic Summit at the Shangri-La Hotel yesterday, the President outlined the government’s strategic focus on key sectors to drive this growth.

Highlighting tourism, shipping and logistics, and the ICT sector as priority areas, the President emphasized that the government will invest significantly in expanding the ports sector. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) was also identified as a critical driver of rapid economic growth, and the government has introduced measures to streamline investment processes.

“Currently, it takes around 269 days from signing an agreement with the Board of Investment (BOI) to project execution, requiring approvals from 82 institutions, including 11 under the Ministry of Environment. We have now implemented systems to reduce this timeline to less than 82 days to attract more investors,” the President stated.

Addressing regional economic disparities, the President noted the importance of reducing the economic gap between the Western Province and other regions. He assured that the upcoming budget will include proposals to address these disparities and promote balanced development across the country.

The President’s remarks highlighted the government’s commitment to creating an investor-friendly environment, fostering regional equity, and leveraging key sectors to achieve sustained economic growth in 2025.

Cloudy skies can be expected over Southern part of the island.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva and Southern provinces and in Matale and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Fairly heavy showers above 50 mm can be expected at some places in the above areas.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places elsewhere in the evening or night.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and Southern provinces during the morning.

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

In preparation for the upcoming Independence Day celebrations, the Colombo Police have announced a special traffic plan for the area around Independence Square. The traffic restrictions will be enforced from January 29 to February 2, from 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM each day.

The following roads will be affected by the traffic plan:

• Entry from Vijerama Mawatha (Cinnamon Gardens) to Vidya Mawatha will be restricted.
• Entry from Bauddhaloka Mawatha (Cinnamon Gardens) to Maitland Place will be restricted.
• Entry from Bauddhaloka Mawatha (Cinnamon Gardens) to Premakeerthi de Alwis Mawatha will be restricted.
• Entry from Stanley Wijesundara Mawatha (Cinnamon Gardens) to Foundation Institute Road will be restricted.
• Entry from Independence Roundabout (Cinnamon Gardens) to Independence Square will be restricted.
• Entry from Horton Place to Maitland Crescent Junction towards Independence Roundabout will be restricted.
• Entry from R.G. Senanayake Mawatha to Maitland Crescent towards Independence Roundabout will be restricted.
• Entry from Independence Roundabout to Maitland Crescent will be restricted.

Motorists are advised to plan their routes in advance to avoid any disruptions or inconvenience caused by these temporary restrictions.

In line with the new government’s vision of “A Thriving Nation- A Beautiful Life,” President Anura Kumara Disanayake has directed officials to implement measures aimed at boosting Sri Lanka’s export revenue to $36 billion by 2030. This target was highlighted during a meeting of the Export Development Council of Ministers (EDCM) held on January 27, 2025, at the Presidential Secretariat.

Sri Lanka’s export revenue stood at $16.1 billion in 2024, with an anticipated increase to $18.2 billion this year. The comprehensive action plan aims to achieve the $36 billion target by focusing on strengthening domestic production, shifting to an export-driven economy, and leveraging the country’s strategic location, human resources, and natural assets for industrial growth.

Key points discussed at the meeting included revitalizing domestic manufacturing industries, enhancing export sector competitiveness, expanding the services industry, and exploring innovative global market strategies. There was also a focus on attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under a national framework, creating an investor-friendly environment, and ensuring the availability of infrastructure and resources.

Several important decisions were made:

1. A VAT refund system will be established at the airport for goods purchased by tourists.
2. The manual system for inspecting export products will be replaced with an automated scanning system at Katunayake airport, with funding from the Ministry of Industries.
3. Sri Lankan-manufactured railway engines will now be inspected within the country to expedite exports.
4. Renewable energy sources will be introduced to reduce costs in the export industry, and exporters will be encouraged to adopt modern technology.
5. Funding from the CESS fund will be provided for programs aimed at supporting entrepreneurs and investors in achieving export targets.
6. The Investment Facilitation Committee will be established to support both domestic and foreign investments in the export sector.
7. Export incentives will be introduced for gems and jewellery exports by implementing a method to accurately determine their export value.
8. The government will focus on boosting the export of locally manufactured electronic equipment and devices, including customs duty concessions on raw material imports.

Additionally, the digitalization of data systems for the export industry was prioritized, and measures were discussed to increase bank guarantee limits for incentivizing service exports.

The meeting also tackled current challenges in the export sector, including delays in apparel export inspections, with resolutions developed through consensus.

The EDCM, established on September 11, 1980, had not met between 1992 and 2020. The 2025 meeting marks the resumption of its activities after a 28-year hiatus, underscoring its significance in shaping Sri Lanka’s export strategy.

Key attendees included Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake, Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe, and several other ministers and government officials. The EDCM’s goal remains to enhance Sri Lanka’s global competitiveness by formulating and executing national export development policies.