Cabinet Decisions

Cabinet Decisions taken at 17.08.2026

 Establishment of the Education Council of Sri Lanka

The necessity has been recognized to establish an institutional mechanism for the standardization, registration/licensing, quality assurance, and accreditation of professionals across all professional categories in general education, including teachers, teacher advisors, principals, teacher educators, and education administrators. A committee has been appointed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational education under the chairmanship of senior professor O.G. Dayarathne to study and submit recommendations on the matter. The report dated 03-10-2025 submitted by the aforementioned committee has been forwarded to the Sub-Committee on Establishment of Educational Council set up under the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education, and Vocational education of Parliament. With the approval of the said committee, the review report prepared after obtaining the public comments on the matters stipulated in the said report, has also been submitted to the aforementioned Sub-Committee. Taking into account the resolution furnished by the Hon. Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved to draft a bill to establish the Education Council in due coordination with the institutions to which the powers were already vested under the constitution and other legal provisions regarding the matters falling within the scope of the proposed Education Council.

Establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee on Human Rights:

As a member state of the United Nations Organization, Sri Lanka acts as a state stakeholder to nine core human rights treaties and five optional protocols. In addition to the aforementioned treaties, Sri Lanka also participates in the Universal Periodic Review, which provides Sri Lanka with the opportunity to submit a voluntary report on the steps taken at the national level to progress human rights. During the review of Sri Lanka conducted under the fourth cycle of the UPR in 2023, Sri Lanka has the opportunity to submit a midterm report voluntarily before the next review, outlining the progress made in implementing the recommendations received from other states during the review. Accordingly, the necessity of establishing an effective multi-stakeholder national mechanism, including government ministries, departments, and institutions, for preparing the aforementioned report has been identified. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the joint resolution submitted by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, and the Minister of Justice and National Integration to establish an Inter-Ministerial Standing Committee on Human Rights to serve as a stable national framework for an effective domestic process of follow-up and reporting on human rights activities in Sri Lanka.

03, Implementation of National Pharmaceutical Policy for 2026-2030 in Sri Lanka

The National Pharmaceutical Policy has been implemented to achieve the objective of the prime health policy of the government: providing secure, effective, quality essential medicines to the overall public of Sri Lanka at an affordable price. Although initial steps have been taken to update the National Pharmaceutical Policy, which was prepared in the year 2005, the said updating has remained standstill and not yet been completed during the period from 2020 to 2025. Taking into consideration the experience gained in implementing the existing National Pharmaceutical Policy up to now, current health needs, changes in the global pharmaceutical market, challenges in the pharmaceutical supply chain, and new requirements regarding local pharmaceutical manufacturing, the necessity of introducing a new updated pharmaceutical policy for the duration 2026-2030 has been recognized. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media for the swift implementation of the National Drug Policy for 2026-2030, formulated in such a manner as to enable the achievement of the following objectives as a priority work including enhancing access to essential medications, ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceuticals, and promoting the effective management of the drug supply chain.

Ensuring sustainable, equitable, and affordable access to quality and safe medicines complying with international quality standards relevant to the public's health needs.
Promoting quality treatment and preventing waste through the use of scientifically sound, cost-effective medical products by healthcare professionals and consumers.
Promoting efficient local production of essential medical products with certified efficacy, safety, and quality.

04. Signing of Memorandum of Understanding for Expanding Cardiac and Thoracic Surgical Services at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka using the facilities at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Hospital.
Although, Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Teaching Hospital under the Ministry of Defence is comprised of modern infrastructure, advanced medical equipment, and sufficient physical capacity, it has been observed that resources have been underutilized due to the limitation of the specialists’ clinical staff. Although the Cardiac and Thoracic Unit of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka operates as a primary National Center for cardiac and Thoracic Surgeries with highly specialized human resources, advance technology, and state-of-the art facilities, a long waiting lists have formed due to the increasing demand for surgical procedure. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media for entering into tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media and Sir John Kotelawala Defence University to implement a program for performing surgeries and providing specialist treatment for the patients on the waiting lists for cardiac and Thoracic surgeries in the National Hospital by using facilities of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University Hospital as a service extension of the Sri Lanka National Hospital.

05. An Agreement between the Sri Lanka and the Republic of Poland on the transfer of Offenders
Provisions have been made by the Transfer of Offenders Act, No. 5 of 1995, to enable a citizen of another country who has been convicted in Sri Lank to serve his sentence in his home country. The aforementioned Act also makes the provisions to transfer a Sri Lankan citizen convicted and sentenced to imprisonment in another country back to Sri Lanka to serve the remainder of their sentence. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons between the Democratic Socialists Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Poland to enable convicted persons to serve their sentence in their home country and contribute to their social rehabilitation.

06. Signing a Research Outsourcing Contract Agreement between Korean Ceramic Engineering and Technology Institute and Industrial technology Institute of Sri Lanka
A research concept proposal forwarded under the theme “Development of a Processing Technology for the Quartz and Silica Sand in Coastal Area of Sri Lanka”, submitted by the research team at the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) of Sri Lanka, has been selected by the Korea Invention Promotion Association in the year 2025 as an Intellectual Property Partnership Project. The project is to be implemented in two phases. Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 06-04-2026 to sign the Memorandum of Understanding for the first stage of the aforementioned project between the Korea Invention Promotion Association of the Republic of Korea and Industrial technology Institute of Republic of Sri Lanka. This agreement will establish a legal foundation for the provision of funds, materials, research apparatus, and technical assistance essential for the Industrial Technology Institute, to be supplied by the Republic of Korea with the support of the Korean Ceramic Engineering and Technology Institute. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign a Research Outsourcing Contract Agreement for the functions of the second stage of the project “Development of a Processing Technology for the Quartz and Silica Sand in the Coastal Area of Sri Lanka" between the Korean Ceramic Engineering and Technology Institute of the Republic of Korea and the Industrial Technology Institute of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for signing the Research Outsourcing Contract Agreement.

07. Transferring Usable Vehicles and Machineries Previously Owned by the National Machinery Institute and Currently Owned by the State Engineering Corporation to Provincial Councils, Pradeshiya Sabha and other Government Institutions
Many construction vehicles and heavy machineries which were previously owned by the National Machinery Institute and deployed for the development of infrastructure facilities in the island wide have been transferred to the State Engineering Corporation. The aforementioned assets are not used by the State Engineering Corporation and significant portion of these machineries is stored in a valuable plot of land in Anuradhapura town area. The North Central Province and several local government institutions have requested that this machinery be transferred to them for use in rural road renovation, irrigation development projects, and other infrastructure development activities. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Housing, Construction, and Water Supply to transfer usable vehicles and machineries formerly owned by the National Machinery Institute and currently owned by the State Engineering Corporation, to the Provincial Councils, Pradeshiya Sabha and other institutions based on their requirement subject to payment of the government valuation.
08. Granting an Allowance to Students with Special Educational Needs from Low-Income Families
The 2026 budget proposes providing a monthly allowance of LKR 5,000 per student for students with special educational needs. Applications were called from low-income students with special educational needs studying in all schools across the island to verify the eligibility, and 5,530 applicants have satisfied the requisite criteria. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Hon. Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education to obtain the necessary provision for paying the relevant monthly allowance to all eligible students.

09. Procurement for the Printing, Supply, and Delivery of Computer – Generated Lottery Tickets
Bids were invited under the National Competitive Bidding method according to lottery brand for the procurement of printing, supplying, and delivering computer-generated lotteries (Govisetha, NLB Handahana, Mega Power, Dhana Nidhanya, NLB Jaya, Ada Sampatha, and Subha Dawasak) conducted by the National Lotteries Board for a period of one year. Five (5) bids have been received for that purpose. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Hon. President, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to award the procurement contracts to the substantially responsive lowest bidders based on recommendations of the High-Level Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board as follows:

10. Implementation of an Immediate Program to Rehabilitate Minor Irrigation Schemes Damaged by Cyclone 'Ditwa'.

1,599 small tanks, 1,686 anicuts (dams), and 4,042 canals were damaged due to Cyclone 'Ditwa' that struck Sri Lanka in November 2025, causing issues in water supply and management required for paddy cultivation causing issues in water supply and management required for paddy cultivation. The Department of Agrarian Development is currently rehabilitating 883 damaged minor irrigation works in 2026. In addition, around 5,935 small tanks, canals, and anicuts have been identified as requiring further rehabilitation. It has been observed that the Department cannot complete these works rapidly by utilizing its physical and human resources alone. As an alternative, technical consultancy can be obtained from the Mahaweli Consultancy Bureau, a subsidiary of the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation to allocate LKR 2,000 million in 2026 for urgent projects, out of the total estimated cost of LKR 12,170 million to rehabilitate 5,935 minor irrigation works and the balance in 2027 to the Department of Agrarian Development, and to obtain technical consultancy from the Mahaweli Consultancy Bureau.

11. Completion of Remaining Construction Work of Sethsiripaya Stage III
The Urban Development Authority (UDA) initiated the Sethsiripaya Stage III project to meet the growing demand for administrative office space in the government and semi - government sectors. Initially, the total estimated capital expenditure was LKR 16.7 billion. Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was previously received for piling and superstructure. Accordingly, the construction work of the project was commenced in the year 2021 and progressed up to the completion of 03 floors. However, the project was temporarily suspended by mutual agreement due to economic instability, material shortages, import restrictions, and rising costs in the construction sector. It has been proposed to execute the remaining construction as a joint-funded development project. Thereby the funding will be contributed proportionally by institutions identified to occupy space: Ministry of Energy, Department of Inland Revenue, State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and UDA. It has been calculated that the overall cost of the project, including the cost incurred so far, the cost that should be incurred to complete the project, other expenses, and the relevant tax, will be Rs. 38.48 billion. The original building contractor M/s Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd has submitted a technical and financial proposal without altering the original scope. After evaluation by the Variation Review Committee, the contractor agreed to complete the remaining works for LKR 22.76 billion (excluding completed work value, payable amounts, contingencies, taxes, and daywork). Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to enter into a revised agreement with M/s Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd for LKR 25.58 billion (including value of completed work and payable amounts, but excluding contingencies, taxes, and daywork).

12 Procurement of Medicines through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Discussions have been conducted among the Ministry of Health and Media, State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and the UNDP to establish a reliable mechanism for urgent drug procurements considering procurement challenges in supplying essential medicines and surgical consumables without shortage to the state health sector. The UNDP submitted a concept paper titled "Long-Term Partnership for Procurement of Essential and Rare Disease Medicines", proposing a framework to collaborate with the Sri Lankan government. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Media to enter into a financial agreement with the UNDP for procuring essential medicines, medical consumable devices, specialized program drugs, and rare disease medicines to ensure uninterrupted supply.

13. Implementation of Projects for the Promotion of Theatre, Performing Arts, and Literature
Although 09 sub-councils operate under the Arts Council of Sri Lanka covering 09 subject areas, limited funding has restricted their activities mainly to the national level and capital city. Also, the drama, performing arts and literature sectors are currently in a crisis due to the decline in audiences, the decline in production, lack of performance halls, and competition on social media. Therefore, a provision of LKR 50 million has been allocated from the 2026 annual budget to implement appropriate projects with the objective of revitalizing drama, performing arts and literature sector at the national and regional level empowering regional artists and bequeathing cultural heritage to future generations. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to implement the following projects using the aforementioned projects.
• Promoting subject, the subject areas represented by the 09-sub-committees under the Sri Lanka Arts Council at the regional level.
• Implementing a program to make the State Drama Festival more colorful and encouraging new drama creations and performances
• Organizing multicultural arts festivals based on multicultural centers.
• Providing facilities for cinema groups formed around cultural centers

14. Ensuring the Structural Stability of the Laboratory Building Complex of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies that is at Risk due to Ditwah Cyclone
The National Institute of Fundamental Studies established by the National Institute of Fundamental Studies Act No. 55 of 1981is a national level pioneer research institution that carry out fundamental scientific research of Sri Lanka as well as contributes specifically for the development of human capital. Due to the extreme rainfall experienced with the Ditwah cyclone that struck the island in November 2025, a landslide has occurred in the premises and surrounding of the National Institute of Fundamental Studies. An immense threat has been occurred to the main laboratory buildings complex of the institution due to this causing a heavy threat to the lives and property of adjoining residents. Followed by geo - technological and structural evaluations by the National Building Research Organization, it has been recommended that immediate actions should be taken to construct a defense wall to stabilize the devastated area along with the reconstruction activities. It has been estimated that the cost for this will be rupees 250 million. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to entrust the responsibility of planning of the relevant project, geo - technological evaluations, and the management of procurement process to the National Building Research Organization on direct contract basis.

15. Awarding the Contract for Completion of Remaining Work of the New Hostal Building for the National Police Training School, Katana
Bids have been called under the national competitive bidding procedure by the Department of Buildings that is acting as the procurement entity of the project for selecting an appropriate contractor for carrying out remaining work of the new hostel building for Katana National Police Training School. Quotations have been submitted by ten (10) bidders for the purpose. Based on the recommendations given by the higher level procurement committee, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply to award the contract for completion of the new hostel building for the National Police Training School to Central Engineering Services (Private) Company who is the minimum substantially responsive bidder for an amount of rupees 614.98 million (without value added tax).
16. Amendment of Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017 to Enable Introduction of Exchange of Funds Away from Sri Lanka without Permission as a Criminal Offence under that Act.
An individual in Sri Lanka remitted funds away from the country as an advance payment for import of goods and after that fails to import the particular good relevant to that to Sri Lanka within a justifiable period, can be considered as an illegal foreign exchange transaction to the overseas. Under the provisions currently existing in the Foreign Exchange Act, the only measure that can be taken in regard to exchange of such illegal currency is only to impose a financial amount as a fine from Sri Lankan rupees equal to the amount of the relevant remittance. Since such illegal exchange of funds are not defined as criminal offence under the Foreign Exchange Act, the act does not contain legal provisions for lodging a criminal case. Therefore, it has been recognized that opportunity will be there to take productive actions against such incidences under the legal framework applicable to the investigating institutions and institutions enforcing law through establishment of exchange of illegal money out of Sri Lanka under the Foreign Exchange Act. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to amend the Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017 to enable introduction of special provisions under the Foreign Exchange Act to recognize illegal financial transactions remitted out of Sri Lanka as criminal offences.

17. Submission of the Regulations published under the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 and the Societies Ordinance No. 16 of 1891 to the Parliament.
Revision of fees charged for service supply by the State Institutions and charging new fees are introduced by the Public Finance Circular No. 01/2020 and the corresponding circulars. Accordingly, the institutions to whom powers are entrusted by provisions are eligible to revise the relevant charges as mentioned in the act/ law in regard to the prescription of fees, charging or revising by an act or any other law passed in the Parliament. Charges can be imposed in regard to the regulations relevant to the activities mentioned under section 527 to be read with the section 477 of the Companies Act No. 07 of 2007 while charges can be imposed by the regulations in regard to the activities mentioned under the relevant act by consulting the Minister in – charge of the subject of Finance, under section 19 to be read with section 20 of the Societies Ordinance No. 16 of 1891. The service charges of the Department of Companies Registrar have been revised for the last time by the extraordinary gazette notification No.2303/07 of 25.10.2022. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development to submit the companies (charges) regulations / societies (charges) regulations which are published by the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2496/03 of 06.07.2026 imposed by amending those charges compatible with the current circumstances, to the Parliament for its concurrence.
18. Initiation of Tourism Activities Related to ‘Nildiya Pokuna’ in the Rawana Falls Sanctuary Under the Supervision and Regulation of the Department of Wildlife Conservation
‘Nildiya Pokuna’ situated within a cluster of internal caves in Rawana Ella Sanctuary in the Grama Niladhari Division of Karandagolla, in the Ella Divisional Secretariat division in Badulla district is a considerably rare Natural water source. The place has been a tourist destination quite popular among local and foreign tourists due to its specific geographic situation. Since ‘Nildiya Pokuna’ is a rare type of natural resource that should be conserved, it has been recognized that it is essential to supervise and regularize the tourism activities in that place. In order to realize the objective, technical committee has been appointed representing University lecturers and relevant institutions to obtain proposals and recommendations and the Committee has presented a study report. Based on the proposals and recommendation of the said report, the Legal Draftsman has confirmed the regulations prepared for regularizing the tourist activities. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the relevant regulations in the government gazette notification as per the provisions of the Flora and Fauna Ordinance.

19. Submission of Regulations Issued Under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers has been given at their meeting held on 30.03.2026 to nominate Marina Hotel Holdings (Pvt.) Limited as a primary entrepreneurship with a strategic importance under the provisions of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021 while approval at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on 04.05.2026 has been given to nominate Prime Melwa Port City (Pvt.) Limited and Home Lands Port City (Pvt) Limited as primary entrepreneurship with strategic importance. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Hon. President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the Parliament with the regulations published by the following extraordinary gazette notifications which were prepared under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act No. 11 of 2021 in regard to the nomination of the aforesaid three institutions as primary entrepreneurships with strategic importance.
Marina Hotel Holdings (Pvt.) Limited Extraordinary gazette notification No. 2483 / 17 of 10.04.2026
Home Lands Port City (Pvt) Limited Extraordinary gazette notification No. 2488 / 03 of 11.05.2026
Prime Melwa Port City (Pvt.) Limited Extraordinary gazette notification No. 2488 / 04 of 11.05.2026

20. Submission of the Draft Bill of ‘Safeguarding the State from Terrorism’ to the Parliament.
A technical experts’ committee has been appointed to prepare an initial draft in relevant to the requirement of introducing a new law that cover the shortcomings existing in the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979. Based on the initial draft prepared by the said technical experts’ committee, the Cabinet of Ministers has rendered the policy approval at their meeting on 10.08.2026 to introduce a new act named ‘Safeguarding the State from Terrorism’. Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been given for the draft bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit the same to the Parliament for concurrence.