News

The Development Lotteries Board (DLB) is enhancing the positive impact of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) on the underprivileged and the people with special needs including agents and  lottery sellers.

Apart from that it has already laid the tracks to build the 21st century digital infrastructure to sell lottery tickets via mobile app - just like the way it has revolutionised the trade for the first time by introducing the instant lottery to Sri Lanka in 1983.

To start with, DLB has launched the 'DLB Sweep App' providing an opportunity to instantly check winning numbers of any development lottery draw. Through the app, one could also verify if the ticket purchased has any winnings and the details of prize money by simply scanning the ticket's QR code through a mobile phone.    

DLB has incorporated CSR initiatives more strategically towards improving the living standards of lottery sellers while helping the needy and uplifting people  from poverty, Chairman of the Board S.A.P. Suriyapperuma revealed.

The DLB also encourage their stakeholders to take necessary actions to align with the bigger and broader picture of society’s long-term interests.

DLB is an important contributor to the President’s Fund, which provides medical assistance for people with financial difficulties.
Furthermore, DLB also provides financial assistance for the treatment of serious non-communicable diseases such as heart surgeries and kidney transplants, he said.

50 percent of the contribution made to the President's Fund is credited to the Mahapola Scholarship Trust Fund established in 1981, with the objective of providing financial assistance for higher studies of students engaged in universities and institutes of technological studies.

DLB has contributed a sum of Rs.1,767 million to the President's Fund up to August this year compared to Rs 2,132 million in 2018 and Rs 437 million in 2017.

The main aim of the DLB is to become the foremost lottery organisation in the country that works towards enriching  the lives of Sri Lanka.

Soft Heart Foundation which is the CSR arm of DLB was established with the support of staff and donors to assist the needy with a view to improving their living standards even in a small way, Mr. Suriyapperuma said.

He added that several houses were built and handed over to needy sweep sellers without shelter facilities.

With a view to promote self-employment opportunities, DLB provides new sales outlets to agents on recovery of 50 percent of its cost of Rs. 43000 from them, he said.

India called on Sri Lankan scholars to make use of opportunities in the Indian field of Science and Technology (S&T).

This request was made by Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu when he participated in the inaugural ceremony of RESCON2019 - the annual Research Congress of the Post Graduate Institute of Sciences (PGIS) in University of Peradeniya as Chief Guest today .

In his address, High Commissioner Sandhu underlined both India's and Sri Lanka’s rich scientific tradition. He also highlighted recent advances that India has made in the field of Science and Technology (S&T) and pointed out opportunities available for Sri Lankan scholars for collaboration with their Indian counterparts in the S&T sector.

The High Commissioner emphasized that India continued to stand with Sri Lanka and noted that following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s solidarity visit to Sri Lanka in June 2019, the number of Indian tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka became around thrice the number from second highest source market.

More than two hundred researchers, faculty and members of the academia were present at the event. Last evening High Commissioner Sandhu was received and blessed by the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters.  High Commissioner also paid respects at Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic).

Meanwhile, a group of senior SLFP organizers have held a discussion at Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s residence on Thursday (10). Close to 40 organizers of the SLFP had attended this meeting, it is learnt.

During the discussion, the organizers have vehemently objected to the SLFP decision to support the candidacy of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Welgama joins to protect SLFP

Meanwhile, UPFA MP Kumara Welgama told Neth News that he objected to the SLFP’s decision to support the SLPP candidate.

He has further noted that he has decided to remain silent during the upcoming presidential election without extending his support to any of the candidates.

Welgama has added that he would commence a programme to safeguard the SLFP shortly.

Rajapaksa said, “We will give free fertiliser for all farmers and write off the loans they have obtained. On the very next day of becoming president, we will exonerate all military men who had been sent to jail after having been charged with false accusations. We will also create a pension fund for all civil defence force personnel who had served over 20 years.”

He said he was often accused of being a ‘military karaya’ or ‘hamuda karaya’ by his political opponents. “We ended the era where military men were called hamuda karaya. At the same time, I would like to remind that it was this militaray karaya who helped spearhead the war against the LTTE and defeat it. This militaray karaya brought peace to the country,” he said.

While thanking the SLFP for pledging their support to him, Rajapaksa said the SLFP had never turned their back on the Rajapaksas.

“With all of your support, we will win the election. We aspire to create a safe, disciplined, worry-free and a prosperous nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, it has been noted by several civil society activists that most of the military personnel currently custody are facing criminal charges.

Military personnel have been implicated in cases of abductions, assaults, disappearances as well as murders of persons during the previous Rajapaksa regime.

The European Union (EU) has provided funding amounting to Euro 40 million to Sri Lanka for the implementation of Strengthening Transformation, Reconciliation and Inclusive Democratic Engagement (STRIDE) Project.

The agreement was signed between Finance Ministry Secretary Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunge and Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives for the Delegation of the European Union Tung Lai Margue.  

The Finance Ministry said in a statement that the project will be implemented in the Northern, Eastern, North Central and Uva provinces with the indirect management of the World Bank (WB), UNDP, and the British Council.

“In partnering with the World Bank (WB), the EU will allocate Euro 22.5 million from its grant funds of the STRIDE Project to the ‘Performance Grant Scheme’ of the “Local Development Support Project” which is financed by the World Bank (USD 70 million). Local Development Support Project aims to support development in war-affected and lagging provinces, improve coordination in local service delivery and promote economic opportunities, inclusiveness and social cohesion,” the statement said.

A national security strategy based on a sound national security policy (NSS/NSP) will be crafted to deal with specific security challenges, a senior defense ministry official said.

With the objective of providing continued and secured alternative communication network similar to the modern communication system existed between the tri forces, the Strategic Defence Communications Network consisting of 37 microwave links connecting 22 terminal points in the island wide had been planned to complete under the mid-term expenditure framework implemented during the period from 2014 to 2016 .

However, the term of the project had been extended up to 2018. Further, the initial estimated cost of Rs 1,192 million had been revised as Rs 1,854 million without obtaining the approval from relevant parties.

It was observed that 22 electricity generators including generators procured and installed at a cost of Rs.15.7 million in 2016 and other 12 generators procured at a cost of Rs 10.8 million in 2017 had remained idle at the premises without being utilized for intended purposes with the guarantee periods also expiring, an audit inspection revealed.

Rajapaksa has yesterday (7) posted an image on his official Facebook account of him greeting Premadasa at the National Elections Commission after handing nominations.

“Meeting and greeting Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the UNP presidential candidate today at the Elections Office endorses my genuine belief that; contenders can and do disagree on principles and policies but still remain respectful of one another. Ultimately, it’s the People and the Nation who must be victorious,” Rajapaksa has said in the Facebook post.