February 09, Colombo (LNW): In an effort to improve accessibility and streamline passport services, the Department of Immigration and Emigration has announced plans to open a new office in Jaffna, aimed at serving the residents of the Northern Province more efficiently.

In addition to this, the Department has decided to increase the daily number of passports issued, responding to the growing demand for travel documents.

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala revealed that this move forms part of the government’s broader strategy to make vital services more accessible to the public.

Speaking at a recent meeting with officials from the Immigration Department, Minister Wijepala highlighted the government’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the efficiency and reach of passport issuance across the country.

The new Jaffna office will operate around the clock, offering 24-hour services to cater to the needs of the local population.

To ensure smooth operations, the Ministry has also approved the recruitment of additional staff, with the proposal already submitted to the Government Services Commission.

A decision on the recruitment is expected within the next few days.

This initiative is being launched alongside other measures aimed at expediting passport processing nationwide. In January 2025, the Ministry of Public Security confirmed that the number of passports issued daily would increase to 2,500, significantly reducing wait times for applicants.

The opening of the Jaffna office is expected to be a major benefit to the residents of the Northern Province, many of whom previously had to travel to Colombo or other far-flung offices to access passport services.

February 09, Colombo (LNW): In a bid to improve the experience of passengers, particularly the increasing number of tourists arriving in Sri Lanka, the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is set to undergo a significant redesign of its arrival lobby.

This initiative, spearheaded by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL), is a response to the steady rise in tourist arrivals and aims to address the challenges that come with handling growing passenger numbers.

Harsha Abeywickrema, Chairman of AASL and a retired Air Chief Marshal, outlined that the planned upgrades are designed to alleviate congestion in the arrival area and create a more spacious and welcoming environment for visitors.

One of the key changes will be the relocation of the Sri Lanka Tourism Travel Information Counter to a more central and easily accessible location.

This will ensure that tourists are greeted and assisted promptly upon arrival.

Additionally, the number of ATMs in the arrival lobby will be increased to reduce long queues and waiting times for travellers.

These upgrades are expected to improve the overall efficiency of the airport, providing a smoother transition for passengers as they enter the country.

This redesign is part of a broader strategy by AASL to improve passenger facilities whilst managing the increasing volume of travellers at BIA.

These efforts will continue until the completion of Terminal 2, which is expected to be finished in March 2028.

The rise in tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka has been noteworthy, with a particularly sharp increase in the final quarter of 2024 and momentum continuing into 2025. In January 2025, daily arrivals averaged 8,150, reflecting a 23 per cent rise compared to the same month in 2024.

However, the arrival lobby’s current infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the influx of visitors, and the need for expansion has become increasingly evident.

Following a visit to BIA by Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, plans to redesign and expand the arrival lobby were set into motion.

These enhancements are designed to ensure that BIA remains capable of accommodating rising passenger numbers and providing a seamless and positive arrival experience for all travellers.

February 09, Colombo (LNW): The Coconut Cultivation Board has revealed an ambitious plan to reorganise the Kapruka Fund Management Board Societies, a key initiative aimed at expanding coconut cultivation across Sri Lanka.

This restructuring effort is expected to streamline operations and improve support for local coconut farmers, enhancing the country’s production capacity.

Dr. Sunimal Jayakody, Chairman of the Board, announced that the first phase of this strategic initiative will be rolled out in the Gampaha District on February 17.

He highlighted that this move would work in tandem with the existing Kapruka Loan Scheme, ensuring that farmers have access to the necessary financial resources to grow their operations.

This initiative forms part of the Coconut Cultivation Board’s broader, long-term strategy to boost national coconut production.

The Board has set a bold target of planting 2.5 million coconut trees in 2025 as part of its efforts to revitalise the industry and ensure a sustainable future for coconut cultivation.

Dr. Jayakody elaborated on the plan to focus on the Northern Coconut Triangle, a key area for coconut farming in the country, disclosing that approximately one million coconut trees will be cultivated in this region alone, contributing significantly to the overall growth targets.

February 09, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing has announced that water tariffs will be adjusted in response to the recent decrease in electricity prices, with the new rates due to come into effect at the end of February.

Ministerial Secretary Ranjith Ariyarathne confirmed that a proposal from the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB) to lower water tariffs had been received.

This proposal, which was drawn up by the relevant committee, has now been forwarded to the Minister for approval.

Ariyarathne assured the public that once the revised rates are approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, they will be officially announced.

The NWSDB has indicated that the reduction could range from 10% to 30%, providing significant relief to consumers.

This move comes as part of a broader effort to align utility costs with recent drops in electricity prices.

The government hopes this will ease the financial burden on households and businesses alike, encouraging more sustainable consumption of both water and energy.

February 09, Colombo (LNW): Mainly fair weather will prevail over most parts of the island, the Department of Meteorology said in its daily weather forecast today (09).

Fairly strong winds of (30-40) kmph can be expected at times over Eastern slope of the central hills and Northern, North-central, Eastern, North-western and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Badulla districts during the morning.

Marine Weather:

The Sri Lankan government is set to restructure the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) to provide better support to farmers and ensure stable rice prices amid prevailing market challenges.

Previously inactive and burdened with a Rs. 28 billion debt to state banks, the PMB will now play a crucial role in directly purchasing paddy from farmers at guaranteed prices, eliminating inefficiencies and market manipulation.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed officials to strengthen the PMB by upgrading paddy storage facilities and involving small-scale millers in rice production.

Additionally, the government aims to cultivate 1.3 million hectares of land during the Yala and Maha seasons to boost annual rice production.

These steps are designed to curb excessive profits made by large-scale millers, ensuring fair prices for both farmers and consumers.

Despite these measures, inefficiencies within the Food Department, cooperative societies, and even the PMB itself continue to hinder progress.

To counter this, the government plans to purchase between 300,000 and 400,000 metric tonnes of paddy during the 2024–25 Maha season for processing and distribution through cooperative networks such as Sathosa.

This strategy is intended to challenge the dominance of large-scale rice millers, who have been accused of artificially inflating prices.

While Sri Lanka’s daily rice consumption stands at 6,500 metric tonnes, the PMB’s recent intervention only resulted in the purchase of 119 metric tonnes of Keeri Samba rice last season. Expanding the storage capacity of PMB warehouses to 400,000 metric tonnes through renovations could significantly improve stock management and price stabilization efforts.

Agriculture Ministry Secretary M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe emphasized that market manipulation, rather than actual supply shortages, is the primary cause of rice scarcity. Even with price controls, farmers struggle to sell their paddy, leading to market imbalances.

 To address immediate shortages, the government will import 70,000 metric tonnes of Nadu rice through state-run agencies like Sathosa and the State Trading Corporation (STC). These imports, priced at Rs. 220 per kilogram or lower, will commence on December 15, according to Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe.

Although Sri Lanka produces 3.53 million metric tonnes of rice annually, unaccounted surpluses and industrial redirection, such as the use of rice in arrack production, contribute to supply issues. The country’s annual rice consumption is estimated at 2.4 million metric tonnes, with a monthly production of 200,000 metric tonnes.

The cost of rice production stands at Rs. 25 per kilogram, while retail prices have surged to Rs. 220 per kilogram. Government intervention is expected to reduce prices to a more manageable range of Rs. 150–160 per kilogram.

The revival of the PMB is seen as critical for small and medium-scale millers, many of whom have struggled with debt and closures. According to their association’s president, P.K. Semasinghe, nearly 10,000 mills have shut down over the past decade, leaving only 700 in operation.

He stressed that if the PMB purchases paddy and supplies it to small millers, rice prices could be maintained below Rs. 220 per kilogram. This initiative could benefit both farmers and consumers by stabilizing the market and preventing price manipulation by large-scale millers.