SJB settles Mihintale Temple electricity Bill
Whilst confirming that the electricity bill of the historical temple at Mihintale was settled with the contribution of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) members and donors of the party, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa said the government should not harass places of worship.
“The government had put a huge burden on the historical temple which Arahath Mahinda once visited. The monks in charge of the temple and devotees were facing huge difficulties as a result of this. Our attention was drawn towards this situation and I promised the Chief incumbent that I will settle the electricity bill when I visited him recently. I also assured that I will take care of other expenses as well. Electricity at Minihintale was disconnected just two days after I met the chief monk. Power was disconnected without even considering the associates of the government who have also defaulted,” Premadasa said in a statement.
“It is our policy of delivering our promises and we collected a sum of Rs. 4.1 million from SJB members and other donors from the party and thus the bill was settled. It is our duty to support temples such as Minitale which has played such a great role in shaping Sri Lanka’s civilization,” he added.
“It has been proven that the government is only using religion for opportunism and we request the government not to harass places of worship,” he also said.
NEWS
India provides advance of INR 450 mn. to implement Digital ID project
The Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Project Monitoring Committee has taken a decisive step towards the implementation of the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SL-UDI) – a crucial milestone in the country’s digitization drive.
During a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat today (0 4), key stakeholders, including Presidential Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff, Sagala Ratnayaka, State Minister of Technology, Kanaka Herath, Indian High Commissioner, Gopal Bagle, and First Secretary of the Indian High Commission, Mr. Eldos Mathew, Secretary of the Ministry of Technology, Prof. M.D. Gunawardena, Secretary of the Ministry of Public Security, Viyani Gunathilake, and Additional Secretary of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Sulakshana Jayawardena, engaged in extensive discussions on the project’s execution.
During the meeting, it was reported that tenders related to the SL-UDI project had been received and were currently under review, adhering to a meticulous timeline. Signifying the Indian government’s commitment to the initiative, the Indian High Commissioner handed over a significant contribution of Indian Rs. 450 million to Minister Kanaka Herath, constituting 15% of the total funds required for the successful implementation of the project as an advance payment.
In his directive, Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka emphasized the paramount importance of adhering to a well-defined timeline to ensure the project’s seamless execution. He further advised convening regular weekly meetings to monitor and evaluate progress.
Acknowledging the project’s profound significance in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery process, Mr. Sagala Ratnayaka expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Indian government for its unwavering support in this endeavour.
The SL-UDI project holds immense promise in bolstering Sri Lanka’s digital infrastructure and fostering growth across various sectors. With this notable step, the nation inches closer to a more technologically advanced future, poised for enhanced economic development and prosperity.
(President’s Media Division)
NEWS
Special committee in search of harassers at Parliament complex
BIZ
Laugfs also says no gas price revision this month
