Cabinet extends deviation tax exemption for Mattala Airport until 2027
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to extend the concessionary period exempting airlines operating scheduled flights to and from Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) from the deviation tax until June 26, 2027. The exemption was first introduced following…
New “Ministerial Results Framework” for 22 line ministries
The government has introduced a new “Ministerial Results Framework” for 22 line ministries and affiliated institutions, covering the period 2025–2029, to strengthen results-based management in the public sector. Prepared by the Department of Project Management and Monitoring of the General…
Implementation of Western Province Solid Waste Master Plan Approved
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the implementation of the Western Province Municipal Solid Waste Management Master Plan, aimed at addressing the growing waste management challenges in Sri Lanka’s most populous region. The project was developed under a Memorandum of…
Sanken Construction awarded Rs. 3 billion contract for Rathmalana Airport complex
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the award of the contract to Sanken Construction (Private) Limited for the construction of an airfield facility complex at the Colombo International Airport, Ratmalana. The project, first approved in September 2019, aims to enhance…
Car fleeing Police inspection found abandoned, driver arrested
A car that fled from police officers during an attempted inspection, endangering the lives of the officers, has been found abandoned on Janaraja Mawatha, Medawatta, Matara, the Police said. According to the Police, the driver was also arrested while hiding…
Elephants on the Runway? Mattala Airport Gets Its Own Wildlife Office
The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a special Wildlife Department office at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in Hambantota to address the growing problem of wild elephants and other animals trespassing into the airport premises. According to the…
BIA records 14% increase in air traffic in first 8 months of 2025
Sri Lanka’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has reported a 14.4 percent increase in air traffic during the first eight months of 2025, according to the Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation. From January to August 2025, the airport…
Bombay HC denies permission for Shilpa Shetty to travel to Sri Lanka
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday denied actor Shilpa Shetty permission to travel to Sri Lanka for a YouTube event, saying she should first pay Rs 60 crore in fraud charges before the matter is considered. The court noted that…
Minister urges media to avoid gender labels in reporting accidents
Transport Minister Bimal Rathnayake called for more responsible media reporting, citing a newspaper article about a fatal accident in Doluwa that killed three women. Speaking in Parliament, Rathnayake said while newspapers provide a valuable public service, the report in question…
Ex-Reparations official arrested in bribery probe linked to Shasheendra
The former Acting Director General of the Office for Reparations has been arrested by the Bribery Commission over a suspected compensation fraud involving land owned by the Mahaweli Authority. According to the Bribery Commission, the accused currently serves as the…