November 06, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan government has announced a Rs. 20 billion fertiliser subsidy for paddy farmers in the 2024/25 Maha season, aimed at boosting rice cultivation across the country. Agriculture Commissioner General U.B. Rohana Rajapaksa stated that around one million farmers, covering 720,000 hectares of rice fields, will benefit from this support.

Under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s directive, the Treasury has increased the subsidy to Rs. 25,000 per farmer for the new season. Currently, Rs. 15,000 has already been disbursed to eligible farmers as the initial phase of the support, with the remaining Rs. 10,000 expected by the end of the month.

To date, Rs. 162.4 million has been transferred to the accounts of 36,500 farmers under this scheme. The subsidy rollout includes several phases:

• Phase One: Rs. 9.5 million was distributed to 670 farmers in Ampara and Kilinochchi districts on October 17, covering 638 hectares.
• Phase Two: Rs. 46.5 million was provided to 4,475 farmers across 12 districts on October 23, covering 3,102 hectares.
• Phase Three: Rs. 57.5 million was given to 4,219 farmers on October 28, covering 3,839 hectares.
• Phase Four: Rs. 48.7 million was disbursed to 4,804 farmers across 12 districts, covering 3,247 hectares.
• Phase Five: Scheduled for this week, Rs. 279.4 million will be deposited to support 22,419 farmers cultivating 18,627 hectares across 19 districts.

Rajapaksa highlighted that the subsidy distribution is being prioritized in districts where rice cultivation for the Maha season has started, as verified by local agriculture service centres. Districts such as Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, Mannar, and Polonnaruwa have not yet commenced paddy cultivation, largely due to recent rainfall delays.

This initiative builds on last year’s Rs. 11 billion subsidy, marking a significant increase in government support for paddy farmers. The programme aligns with the government’s strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and ensure food security.

November 06, Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) announced on Monday that while reforms in the electricity sector will continue, there will be no privatization of state-owned electricity assets.

In an official statement, CEB explained that it had initiated a reform process last year, driven by external recommendations, due to decades of delayed internal reforms. However, the organization now sees an “unprecedented opportunity” to advance meaningful reforms in the energy sector, aligning with the social transformation mandate of Sri Lanka’s current president.

CEB’s Board of Directors has called on all stakeholders to collaborate in building a people-centric, clean, and secure electricity sector. The goal is to achieve the lowest electricity costs in the region within the next five years, under a strong single-buyer market model, with an Independent System Operator (ISO) and unbundled licenses for generation, transmission, and distribution. This vision will be implemented through amendments to the Electricity Act, with extensive public and stakeholder consultation.

In addition, CEB has proposed forming a committee representing employees at all levels to foster active involvement in the ministry’s future initiatives. An online awareness session on the reforms was recently conducted for CEB staff by the Chairman and Board of Directors, emphasizing that, “Change is a constant; timely changes are essential for any organization.”

The CEB emphasized that these organizational reforms aim to enhance service quality, customer satisfaction, and employee welfare, while ensuring economic returns that support both the organization and the national economy.

November 06, Colombo (LNW): The Advocata Institute, an independent think tank, has called for urgent reforms in Sri Lanka’s State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) to tackle ongoing corruption and inefficiencies. 

This call comes amid rumors that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) might continue bypassing competitive bidding for fuel purchases, which has sparked concern on social media. 

While these rumors have not been confirmed, they shine a light on the persistent financial challenges plaguing SOEs, including growing debt and mismanagement, which have long affected the country’s economy.

According to Advocata, the lack of competitive procurement processes has led to inflated costs in essential sectors. 

For example, the CEB purchases naphtha from the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) at prices higher than global market rates, raising electricity production costs and resulting in higher tariffs for consumers. 

In addition, inefficiencies at CEB delay payments to CPC, which contributes to mounting debt that is often covered by the government or state banks.

A similar issue affects SriLankan Airlines (SLA), which faces overcharging for jet fuel by CPC. This has worsened the airline’s financial losses, which the government has had to offset with significant equity injections, including Rs. 102.5 billion in 2023.

 Both cases highlight a broader issue of “circular debt,” where inefficient practices in SOEs lead to rising debt, which is ultimately shouldered by taxpayers.

The Advocata Institute argues that these inefficiencies and the lack of competitive bidding are draining public finances and harming consumers. SOEs like CEB and CPC contribute to a cycle of rising debt, higher tariffs, and poor services, all of which exacerbate the government’s budget deficit. 

The Institute highlights that the absence of competitive procurement processes allows corruption to flourish, inflating costs and reducing the quality of services.

Establishing a transparent, competitive bidding system could help break this cycle, reduce corruption, and enhance efficiency in SOEs.

This need for reform is also supported by the International Monetary Fund’s Governance Diagnostic Assessment, which connects non-competitive procurement with corruption in SOEs.

While the government has attempted some reforms, such as the unbundling of CEB through the Electricity Bill approved in June 2024, progress has been slow. The recent decision to halt the privatization of SriLankan Airlines has also raised doubts about the government’s commitment to comprehensive SOE reform.

However, there is some hope for change. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently met with the National Procurement Commission (NPC) to discuss the importance of implementing procurement laws. 

If these discussions lead to concrete reforms, the introduction of competitive bidding could help address the long-standing inefficiencies and corruption that have hindered Sri Lanka’s SOEs.

The Advocata Institute calls on the government to prioritize competitive bidding as a critical first step toward reforming SOEs, improving transparency, and securing a more sustainable economic future for Sri Lanka.

November 06, Colombo (LNW): Salesforce, a global leader in customer relationship management (CRM), has reaffirmed its commitment to digitally transforming businesses in Sri Lanka, aligning with the country’s 2030 vision of becoming a fully digital nation.

 By leveraging cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies, Salesforce aims to revolutionize customer experiences across various industries, helping businesses unlock significant value and drive growth.

In a video message at the media launch, Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairperson and CEO of Salesforce India, emphasized Sri Lanka’s strides in adopting technology, which have helped build a dynamic digital economy. 

She noted that the country’s vision of reaching a $15 billion digital economy by 2030, supported by an AI strategy, is a crucial driver for economic competitiveness, job creation, and sustainable development.

Salesforce, she said, is committed to supporting businesses in Sri Lanka by providing resources to help them thrive in the digital era.Several leading Sri Lankan companies, including Campus Direct, Cinnamon Hotels, Keells Super, Dilmah Tea, and Third Space Global, are already utilizing Salesforce’s AI-driven solutions to transform their digital strategies. 

These businesses are using Salesforce to enhance productivity, improve efficiency, and revolutionize customer interactions—key elements of a successful digital transformation in line with the government’s vision for innovation and sustainable growth.

A major component of Salesforce’s strategy is the introduction of Agentforce, a suite of autonomous, customizable AI agents and tools that collaborate with employees to streamline operations. 

With low-code capabilities, Agentforce allows organizations to build and deploy their own agents quickly. These agents can perform tasks like answering customer inquiries, qualifying sales leads, and optimizing marketing campaigns. 

The Salesforce platform also features Customer 360, which integrates sales, service, marketing, and commerce, providing businesses with a comprehensive view of customer interactions.

Furthermore, Salesforce’s integration platform MuleSoft facilitates seamless connectivity between applications and APIs, allowing businesses to bring in third-party data and extend the capabilities of Agentforce.

 In addition, Slack, a collaboration tool within the Salesforce ecosystem, empowers employees by enabling them to interact with AI agents directly in the flow of their daily work, improving the relevance and context of their interactions.

The role of Salesforce’s local partners in Sri Lanka was also highlighted during the launch. Ramesh Shanmughanathan, 

Executive Vice President and Group CIO of John Keells Holdings (JKH), spoke about the opportunity for transformative change across industries due to the growing digital ecosystem in Sri Lanka. 

He emphasized that the partnership with Salesforce would help accelerate innovation and drive exceptional outcomes for customers.

Nalaka Umagiliya, Senior Vice President of JKH’s Group Information Technology division, shared that the collaboration with Salesforce was pivotal in advancing JKH’s CRM, sales, marketing, and loyalty operations. 

The focus on data privacy and customer consent management would further elevate customer engagement and optimize business processes, leading to significant efficiency gains for the company.

November 06, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Public Administration has reported that four official residences previously occupied by former ministers have yet to be handed over to the government. The residences in question were allocated to former ministers Sanath Nishantha, Mohan De Silva, R. Sampanthan, and Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse.

The Ministry stated that Mohan De Silva’s residence was anticipated to be handed over as of yesterday. Meanwhile, a senior official confirmed that Sanath Nishantha’s residence is scheduled for return by tomorrow, with instructions communicated to his wife.

In the case of former minister R. Sampanthan, the Ministry has urged his relatives to promptly return his official residence. However, some documentation issues are delaying the return of Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse’s official residence. Rajapakse clarified that he had already vacated the property several months ago.

The Ministry is working to expedite the return of these government residences to ensure proper allocation and usage of public resources.

1. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that rural development and upgrading the rural people’s social and economic well-being is one of the primary objectives of the government during this term. The President expressed these views during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat with members of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association (SLAS).
2. The National Building and Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued early landslide warnings to multiple areas in eight districts, as heavy rainfall continues in parts of the island. Accordingly, a Level 1 (Amber) warning has been issued for several Divisional Secretariat Divisions (DSD) and surrounding areas in the Badulla, Galle, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara and Ratnapura districts
3. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has voiced suspicions of a possible plot to assassinate her, similar to the politically motivated assassination of her husband, the late Vijaya Kumaratunga. Furthermore, the former President raised concerns over the reduction in her security detail, claiming that the move poses a direct threat to her safety, referencing past political conspiracies.
4. The Ministry of Public Administration said that four official residences previously occupied by former ministers have still not been handed over to the government. According to the Ministry, these residences were used by former ministers Sanath Nishantha, Mohan De Silva, R. Sampanthan, and Ajith Rajapakse.
5. The Court of Appeal has upheld a prison sentence given to former Deputy Minister Shantha Premaratne who was found guilty of the charges of obtaining a bribe of Rs. 50,000 from a woman after promising employment.
6. A 38-year-old man from Athurugiriya has been remanded until 11 November after being arrested for allegedly publishing an altered Rs. 5,000 currency note featuring the image of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on social media.
7. Former Minister Johnston Fernando has withdrawn the writ petition filed on his behalf with the Court of Appeal seeking an order to prevent his arrest. The petition had been filed by the ex-minister seeking an order to prevent his arrest over the case related to the unregistered BMW car allegedly belonging to him found parked in a star-class hotel premises in Colombo.
8. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has emphasized that Sri Lanka’s core issues remain unresolved, even after 76 years of governance. Speaking at a public meeting in Puthukkudiyiruppu, Dr. Amarasuriya pointed out that despite the end of the war years ago, many citizens continue to struggle with basic problems such as inadequate education and lack of employment opportunities.
9. A tense situation was reported between villagers and Sri Lankan pastor, Jerome Fernando during the latter’s visit to Meepitiya in Nawalapitiya yesterday. The Nawalapitiya Police had intervened to diffuse the tension between the pastor and area residents. The villagers had alleged that the pastor was building a religious site under the pretext of constructing a rehabilitation centre and that no state entities had been informed in this regard.
10. The IPL player registration officially closed on November 4, 2024, with an impressive total of 1,574 players (1,165 Indian and 409 overseas) signing up to be part of the mega TATA IPL 2025 Player Auction, which will be held over two days on November 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The list includes 320 capped players, 1,224 uncapped players, and 30 players from Associate Nations.