April 12, Colombo (LNW): The government has taken a major step towards revolutionizing Sri Lanka agriculture industry with financial support of the Bank of Ceylon for the first 100 agriculture drone pilots’ project

Sri Lanka recently witnessed a groundbreaking moment in its agricultural sector as the first 100 agriculture drones took flight at Sooriyawewa KDU Southern Campus ground, marking a significant leap forward in modernizing the country’s farming practices. 

The financial initiative, spearheaded by the Bank of Ceylon, provided a loan facility for the importation of 250 drones aiming to revolutionize Sri Lanka’s agriculture by supporting to introduce cutting-edge technology to enhance productivity and efficiency.

Joining this momentous occasion were Mahinda Amaraweera Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries , Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara VSV, USP, psc, MMaritimePol, BSc (DS): Vice Chancellor of KDU,  .Kavinda Dissanayake : Managing Director of Kenilworth International Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and Chairman of Agriculture Sector Skills Council(Ministry of Education)

Representatives from the Bank of Ceylon including DGM Corporate and offshore. M R N Rohana Kumara and Chief Marketing Officer Mr. Sameera Liyanage graced the occasion 

Today, agriculture technology – often called AgTech – is transforming the agriculture industry through the use of tech innovations like high-resolution imagery, ground heat mapping and more.

Drones in agriculture have become a powerful tool for monitoring crops and livestock by delivering more expansive and higher-resolution imagery and enabling more detailed data gathering.

Depending on the type of information or task required of them, various sensors, camera lenses, hooks, sprayers and even small buckets to collect samples can be attached to drones. 

Data gathered by the drone streams back to a tablet or computer, providing useful information and photos about land, crops and livestock.

Maintaining land, crops, stables and livestock is hands-on work, and that can take a lot of time. Even smaller hobby farmers may spend countless hours walking their land to spot potential issues before they become bigger problems. However, there’s only so much one can see on foot.

Drone technology provides agribusinesses with more in-depth results in real time. With images collected from a farming drone, agribusiness owners can get high-definition photos, videos and data within minutes. 

With a bird’s-eye view, it’s easier to see the bigger picture, spot crop issues or potential safety problems and act quickly.

In addition to the time savings, high-resolution drone imagery offers more insights compared to more pixelated satellite images.

Farmers and ranchers can compile data from drones and get a clearer picture of crop growth, health and soil moisture, enabling them to make more informed decisions

April 12, Colombo (LNW): The 120 MW hydro power plant of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development project is to become operational soon amidst allegations of a loss of Rs 200 million due to delaying the project 

Due to the delay of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project, there has been a loss of nearly 200 billion rupees, the State Minister of Power and Energy Indika Anuruddha said adding that the planned expenditure for this project in 2010 was US$ 529 million.

Cabinet approved the project in 2008.Work on the project started on March 15, 2010.However, the project was supposed to be completed in 2015.

The project has been completed and the State Minister of Power and Energy Indika Anuruddha says that the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project will be vested in the people on the 24th or 25th of this month.

These activities were carried out with the support of the Iranian government.The President of Iran Sayyid Ebrahim Raisolsadati commonly known as Ebrahim Raisi is expected to vist Sri Lanka to declare open the project  

It will be one of the largest hydro power plants in the country after the Victoria, Kotmale and Upper-Kotmale power stations and will provide Sri Lanka with a badly needed source of low-cost electricity. 

The construction of this project to divert water from the central highlands to the south-eastern dry zone commenced in March 2010. 

The two main political parties that have ruled the country since 1948 have made their contributions to the development of the existing infrastructure of the country over several decades. 

However, the Uma Oya project is the only major infrastructure project to which even the anti-establishment Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has contributed positively.

 The diversion of the Uma Oya was first mooted in 1959 in a study carried out by the United States Operations Mission and the Canadian Hunting Survey Corporation. 

It also featured in the UNDP/FAO Master Plan for the Mahaweli project during the Dudley Senanayake Government and was the subject of further studies carried out under the Ranasinghe Premadasa and Chandrika Kumaratunga governments.

 The decision to implement the Uma Oya project was taken when. Karu Jayasuriya and Jayawickrema Perera held the ministerial portfolios of power and energy and irrigation during the UNP government of 2001-2004.

Yet in January 2005, it was the present leader of the JVP as the then Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Anura Kumara Dissanyake who obtained Cabinet approval to commence the Uma Oya project.although he  criticised it earlier claiming that it was Mahinda Rajapksa project to divert water to Hambnatota.  

His Cabinet Paper No: 05/0036/039/002 of 4 January 2005 stated among other things that in the absence of a reliable source of water in the south east dry zone in Sri Lanka, there is no alternative but to divert water from Uma Oya to that area. Former Minister Chamal Rajapaksa played a key role in getting this project off the ground.

April 12, Colombo (LNW): The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced a series of measures to ensure that there is no disruption in fuel supply during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festivities. Recognizing the increased demand typical of this season, the CPC has proactively increased its fuel imports to secure ample stocks.

Filling station owners have been instructed on these provisions to guarantee smooth operations at Ceypetco stations across the country. Moreover, to streamline the process for distributors and alleviate any potential financial constraints during this peak period, the CPC has enabled transactions through cheques until April 15.

To support these efforts, the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Ltd. will be deploying additional tankers to facilitate efficient fuel distribution, ensuring that both local residents and holidaymakers can enjoy uninterrupted travel during the festive season.

April 12, Colombo (LNW): The Transport and Highways Ministry is calling for public cooperation to curb the increasing number of road accidents as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year approaches. A comprehensive transport plan involving the Sri Lanka Transport Board, Sri Lanka Railway Department, and the National Transport Commission has been implemented to ensure smooth travel during the festive season. Special arrangements at the Makumbura and Kadawatha multimodal transport centers are also set to facilitate the anticipated surge in travelers.

To further assist the public, a hotline, ‘1968’, has been established, providing necessary information and support. The urgency of these measures comes in response to a spike in road accidents, largely attributed to traffic law violations, reckless driving, and the influence of alcohol and mobile phone usage while driving. The Ministry highlights the necessity of community and driver cooperation in tackling these issues effectively.

In response, the Ministry has issued a series of recommendations for drivers: maintaining a speed limit of under 100 kilometers per hour on expressways, avoiding mobile phone use, wearing seatbelts, maintaining a safe driving distance, and adhering to sobriety behind the wheel. Drivers are also advised to drive on the left except when overtaking, comply with traffic signals, check vehicle tires regularly, and be cautious in areas where wild animals are present.

April 12, Colombo (LNW): The Wildlife Conservation Department of Sri Lanka has announced that the national parks have generated a staggering income exceeding Rs. 2,000 million in the first three months of this year. This record-breaking revenue comes from the influx of both local and international tourists visiting these biodiversity hotspots.

During this period, over 200,000 foreign tourists explored the national parks, with Yala National Park attracting the highest attendance, recording over 100,000 visitors. Other popular destinations included Wasgamuwa, Kumana, Wilpattuwa, Bundala, Minneriya, Udawalawa, and Kaudulla. These parks are renowned for their rich wildlife and unique ecosystems, making them prime spots for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Chandana Suriyabandara, the Director General of the Wildlife Conservation Department, commented on the financial success, noting that the income for January through March set a new record for the department. He also expressed optimism about surpassing this year’s revenue figures compared to the previous year, attributing the positive trend to the growing popularity of wildlife tourism and effective park management strategies.

This financial achievement underscores the importance of sustainable tourism practices and conservation efforts in promoting wildlife protection while simultaneously boosting the local economy.

April 12, Colombo (LNW): The All Ceylon Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya (ACSBM) submitted a series of proposals aimed at nurturing a virtuous society to Saman Ekanayake, the Secretary to the President, during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (09).

The ACSBM emphasized the link between the decline in religious education and the rise in societal crimes, advocating for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to prioritize their proposals. They lauded the President’s initiatives, including the creation of Piriven and the appointment of teacher assistants who succeeded in the Bauddha Dharmacharya Examination.

The key proposals presented focus on improving Dhamma school education, recruiting qualified teachers, protecting temple lands, and reinforcing the preservation of Theravada Buddhism both nationally and internationally.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Shasana Religious and Cultural Affairs confirmed that the proposals are in line with current legislation and promised to forward them to President Wickremesinghe. Additionally, Secretary Ekanayake discussed existing national programs such as ‘Urumaya’ for land ownership, as well as initiatives aimed at agricultural modernization and the Kandukara Dashakaya development program.

A specialized committee will be established to further examine these issues, with a detailed report expected to be presented to the President shortly.

April 12, Colombo (LNW): The Asian Development Bank (ADB) released its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) for April 2024, projecting that Sri Lanka will experience moderate economic growth of 1.9 percent in 2024 and 2.5 percent in 2025 after enduring two consecutive years of economic downturn.

According to the ADB report, Sri Lanka is beginning to see the early signs of economic recovery. “In the latter half of 2023, the economy showed green shoots of recovery. Inflation has slowed to single digits, foreign exchange reserves are being replenished, and the national currency has appreciated,” stated the ADO.

The report highlights strong rebounds in tourism and remittances as key factors supporting the recovery. The outlook for continued economic growth is dependent on Sri Lanka’s adherence to ongoing reforms and improved sentiment among consumers and businesses. Effective completion of external debt restructuring is also vital to enhance the country’s debt sustainability.

ADB Deputy Country Director for Sri Lanka, Utsav Kumar, remarked on the nation’s progress: “Sri Lanka has achieved notable success in implementing challenging policy reforms and stabilizing its economy throughout 2023. We are encouraged by the emerging signs of recovery. However, it remains crucial for the country to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts on its poorest and most vulnerable populations and to persist with reforms that tackle the root causes of the crisis to support a sustainable recovery and growth.”

The ADO also underscores the challenges of addressing poverty and inequality exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic issues. As the economy gains stability, Sri Lanka is tasked with supporting the most impacted and vulnerable communities, thereby reducing high poverty rates and income disparities. This necessitates the establishment of effective social protection systems with better targeting, alongside efforts to create job opportunities and promote sustainable livelihoods to alleviate poverty.

April 12, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Eastern and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places elsewhere over the island after 1.00 p.m.

Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

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

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

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka during 05th to 15th of April in this year. The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (12^th) are Vanchiyankulam, Omanthai, Eramadu and Thiriyai at about 12:11 noon.

By: Staff Writer

April 11, Colombo (LNW): The government’s plan to lease vehicles on five year contracts instead of purchasing vehicles outright for use by state agencies and state enterprises has become a headache for the presidential secretariat following the defaulting of leases of over 60 super luxury vehicles used by three former presidents. 

According to this plan, the state institutions including the Presidential secretariat had obtained vehicles on ‘operating leases’ to support leasing companies and the system was expected to be more efficient and cost-effective than maintaining a large state vehicle fleet.

The vehicles were to be returned after 60-months and leasing companies had to bear the cost of insurance and maintenance.

Lease payment of over Rs 2 billion for 60 super luxury vehicles procured on lease basis for the use of three former presidents had been defaulted up to now, Convenor of the Voice Against Corruption Wasantha Samarasinghe disclosed.    

He noted that two of these vehicles gone missing and some of the vehicles valued at over Rs 80 million  

Former secretaries of the president were responsible for these vehicles as chief accounting officers and the presidential secretariat had filed a case in courts relating to this matter, he said.   

Therese over 60 super luxary vehicles had been used by three former presidents since 2006, he revealed adding that names of these persons and details of vehicles will be divulged in the near future

The relevant motor trading companies have already taken measures to recover the total dues for these vehicles including the accumulated interest of 3-4 percent per month as surcharges, he added.

More than 50 state-owned vehicles were not returned after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was toppled in elections

The 53 vehicles, said to include bullet-proof limousines recovered by the police , are thought to be among 128 missing vehicles.

Among the vehicles was an armour-plated BMW destroyed in a mine attack in Colombo in 2006. Inside was the then defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the president’s younger brother, but he escaped without injury.

Although Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the then Defence Secretary used a fleet of Defence Ministry vehicles, he was allegedly allocated five Defender Jeeps and a High-Security vehicle from the Presidential Secretariat.

The former Defence Secretary was given a Range Rover High – Security Jeep bearing registration number KC-8511 and five Defender Jeeps bearing registration numbers WPKX-2439, WPKX-2352, WPKX- 2440, WPKX- 2415 and WPKX- 2454, news reports and information in the pubic domain revealed.