The Minister of State for Finance, Shehan Semasinghe, disclosed that the Treasury will no longer provide funds to support government-run enterprises. Speaking at a press conference held in Anuradhapura, the State Minister highlighted the urgency of restructuring state businesses in response to challenging economic conditions. He further revealed that a dedicated unit has been established under the Ministry of Finance to oversee the restructuring process, and its officers are actively collaborating with other government agencies to determine the most suitable approach.
The decision to restructure state enterprises has been publicized, and it has received approval from the cabinet. The move comes as the country seeks to navigate through economic difficulties and ensure the resilience of state-owned businesses in the face of future challenges. Minister Semasinghe emphasized that the transformation is essential for the sustained growth and stability of these enterprises.
As part of the restructuring plan, various measures will be implemented to ensure the effective functioning of state-owned businesses. The Minister stressed the importance of informing Parliament about all the intended restructurings, ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the process. With the Treasury’s financial support to state businesses coming to an end, the government aims to foster self-sustainability and adaptability in these entities to meet the evolving economic landscape.
Meanwhile,
State Minister of Urban Development and Housing, Arundika Fernando, announced plans to stimulate economic growth by providing commercially valuable lands in major cities to investors. During a press conference at the Presidential Media Centre, the State Minister revealed that final notices have been issued to investors involved in projects on government-owned lands in Colombo. Should these projects remain stalled, the government will reclaim them and offer them to new investors to invigorate economic activities.
The Minister emphasized that the government had previously granted investors the opportunity to initiate projects on valuable lands in Colombo. However, due to the country’s economic challenges, some projects were suspended. To revive these initiatives, written notices have been sent to investors, giving them until the end of the next month to decide on the future of their projects. If no progress is made, the government will take over and allocate the lands to new investors, as part of efforts to boost the nation’s economy.
Notably, the Hilton Hotel in Colombo has been identified as a prosperous business, and measures will be taken to safeguard employee rights and improve the hotel chain’s conventions to further enhance the country’s economic prospects. Additionally, properties with commercial worth in other major cities will be distributed to new investors in ways that strengthen the economy. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been actively involved in these decisions, aiming to foster economic growth since taking office.
The government has designated 24 coastal regions as tourist destinations, and investors will be granted access to these areas to bolster the national economy. Temporary construction rights will be awarded to new investors to develop these zones with tourist-friendly beach activities. In line with President Wickremesinghe’s advice, Colombo, Ella, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, and Trincomalee are being developed as favorable tourist attraction areas, with some projects receiving assistance from the Asian Development Bank and government agencies such as the Urban Development Authority.
Furthermore, the construction of the Aruwakkalu Scientific Sanitary Garbage Dump, under the Colombo Solid Waste Management project, is scheduled to be completed by the end of January next year, with the aim of improving waste management practices in the region. These initiatives mark significant steps by the Sri Lankan government to attract investments, revitalize stalled projects, and stimulate economic growth across various sectors in the country.