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"It is a matter of great pride for me to be awarded the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ by President Dissanayake, said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was conferred with Sri Lanka's highest civilian honour.

This esteemed award, which symbolizes the profound friendship and historic ties between India and Sri Lanka, was accepted by Prime Minister Modi with immense pride.

Prime Minister Modi expressed that this honor is not solely his but a tribute to the 1.4 billion people of India.

He conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to President Dissanayake, the Government, and the people of Sri Lanka for this significant recognition.

"This honour is not mine alone - it is a tribute to the 1.4 billion people of India. It symbolises the deep-rooted friendship and historic ties between the people of India and Sri Lanka," stated Prime Minister Modi.

He further extended his sincere thanks to the Sri Lankan leadership and its citizens for bestowing this prestigious accolade.

This accolade recognizes Prime Minister Modi's significant contributions to strengthening the bilateral ties and fostering goodwill between the two nations.

The Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana is a Sri Lankan honour, for Heads of State and Heads of Government with which Sri Lanka has friendly relations "in appreciation of their friendship towards and solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka".

The Colombo High Court has sentenced former North Central Province Chief Minister S.M. Ranjith and his Sister-in-Law, Shanthi Chandrasena, to 16 years of rigorous imprisonment for corruption.

The judgement was delivered by Colombo High Court Chief Judge Aditya Patabendi, following a case filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

S.M. Ranjith served as the Chief Minister of the North Central Province from September 25, 2012, to January 20, 2015.

During this period, he illegally provided over Rs 2.6 million through fuel orders to his personal secretary, Shanthi Chandrasena, despite an existing fuel allowance included in her salary.

The Bribery Commission filed the case in November 2021, citing six charges, including the misuse of government resources and coercion of government officials.

After a lengthy trial, the judge concluded that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

The court found that the defendants had misused 16,784 liters of fuel, violating the Bribery Act.

Before sentencing, the Bribery Commission's attorney highlighted that S.M. Ranjith, as an elected public representative, had misused public funds in a district with a predominantly farming population.

Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi arrived in Sri Lanka tonight (04) at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake for a State visit, following an invitation extended by President Anura Kumara Disanayake.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, along with Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Science and Technology Chrishantha Abeysena and Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha extended a warm and distinguished welcome to Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and his diplomatic delegation.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka is being conducted under the theme “Friendship of Centuries – Commitment to a Prosperous Future,” reaffirming the enduring bond between Sri Lanka and India and their shared commitment to a thriving future.

This marks Indian Prime Minister’s fourth visit to Sri Lanka, highlighting the longstanding economic, cultural and historical ties between the two nations. The primary objectives of this State visit are to further strengthen bilateral ties and to enhance multifaceted cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

During this visit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold bilateral talks with President Anura Kumara Disanayake.

While in Sri Lanka, the Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is scheduled to pay homage to the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and will inaugurate several projects implemented in Sri Lanka with the assistance of the Government of India.

Accompanying the Indian Prime Minister on this visit are India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior officials of the Government of India.

Sri Lanka’s Food Security Committee has recommended the import of rice to address possible shortages and ensure availability for vulnerable populations.

This recommendation follows market observations of rising rice prices and signs of declining supply.

During a recent Cabinet discussion, attention was drawn to the need to authorize rice imports to stabilize the market and prevent further shortages, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

The proposal was made at a meeting held on April 1 at the Presidential Secretariat, chaired by the President’s Chief of Staff. Participants included officials from the ministries of Agriculture, Trade, Food Security, and related sectors.

The committee emphasized the need for contingency measures, including importing broken rice and allowing emergency stocks to be released if necessary. It also noted that unregulated rice hoarding by some traders has worsened the shortage.

The committee has approved the formation of a subcommittee, led by the Agriculture Secretary, to assess national rice stocks and oversee the import process as needed.

The National 'Aluth Sahal Mangallaya' or the New Rice Festival was held this morning (4) at the Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Celebrating its 58th iteration, this year's festival was themed "One Sheaf for a Secure Nation through Agriculture."

The event was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agrarian Services, under the guidance of the Chief Incumbent of the Atamasthana, Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero.

During the ceremony, the first portion of the newly harvested rice from the Maha season was offered to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.

Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero commenced the ritual of filling the golden bowl with new rice, accompanied by the chanting of the Maha Sangha. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also participated in this traditional ceremony.

The commemorative momento for the 58th National New Rice Festival was presented to the President by U.B. Rohana Rajapaksa, Commissioner General of the Department of Agrarian Development, and Professor A.L. Sandika, Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute.

In a traditional honey offering to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, a clean honey pot was presented to the President by Indigenous Deputy Leader W.U. Gunabandia.

Additionally, the traditional offerings of ghee, kithul jaggery, and red lotus flowers were presented to the President by W.M.P.M. Weerakoon, Assistant Commissioner of Buddhist Affairs in Ratnapura and Supervising Officer of the Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya.

Subsequently, these offerings were ceremonially handed over to the Chief Incumbent of the Atamasthana, Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero, by the President for the veneration of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.

During the event, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also honored the farmers for their contributions.

The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has announced that the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) will be mandatory to register new vehicles and their related services.

Clarifying that the Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) will be mandatory for the registration of new vehicles, the DMT said, however, certain types of vehicles are exempted.

The department said the TIN number is not mandatory for the registration or transfer of motorcycles, three-wheelers, tractors, hand-tractors and tractor-trailers.

The clarification comes as the government had announced last month that following the lifting of vehicle import restrictions, the TIN number will be mandatory for the registration of vehicles.

The Grade 5 Scholarship Examination for 2025 will be held on August 10, according to a statement issued by the Commissioner General of Examinations, H.J.M.C. Amith Jayasundara.

As per the announcement, applications for the exam will be accepted online from April 4 to April 30, 2025. The online application portal will close at midnight on April 30, and the department has stated that the deadline will not be extended under any circumstances.

Students eligible to sit for the exam must be currently studying in Grade 5 at a government school or a school approved by the government.

Only students from low-income families who are under the age of 11 as of January 31, 2026, will be eligible to receive the scholarship benefits.

The Court of Appeal has issued an order suspending all election activities related to Local Government Bodies against which petitions have been filed over the rejection of nominations.

Accordingly, the Court of Appeal has suspended election activities for the said Local Government Bodies until tomorrow, 02 April 2025.

It is reported that the court order has been issued after taking up for consideration multiple petitions that have been filed by candidates and independent groups on the rejection of nominations.

In December last year, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to amend the Local Government Act to allow fresh nominations to be called for the Local Government Election.

However, the decision was challenged in court.

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has issued a Gazette notification stipulating the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for bottled drinking water.

As per the Gazette notification, the Maximum Retail Prices are effective from 01 April 2025.

Accordingly, the MRP for bottled drinking water are as follows;

500 – 999 ml bottles – Rs.70 01 -1.499 L bottles – Rs.100 1.5 -1.999 L bottles – Rs.130 02 – 2.499 L bottles – Rs.160 05 – 6.999 L bottles – Rs.350

Member of Parliament Chamara Sampath Dasanayake has been remanded until April 8. This decision was made following his appearance before the Colombo Magistrate's Court this morning.

Dasanayake was arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption in connection with financial corruption charges dating back to his tenure as the Chief Minister of the Uva Province. On March 27, Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali ordered his remand.

The court considered three corruption charges against Dasanayake. While he was granted bail for two of the cases, he was remanded in custody for the third.

He faces three charges, including causing a loss of Rs. 23 million to the government by withdrawing all fixed deposits maintained by the provincial council from a state bank after the bank manager refused to provide additional funds, for which he was remanded by the court.

He faces two other charges from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC).

One of the charges involves the misappropriation of Rs. 2.5 million obtained from two state banks, which were allegedly transferred to Dasanayake's foundation's account.

Another charge accuses him of directly receiving Rs. 1 million from a state bank, intended for the provincial council, which he reportedly took personally from the bank branch.

Former Minister Mervyn Silva has been remanded until the 9th of this month.

This decision was made during the hearing of the related case before Mahara Magistrate Kanchana N. Silva today.

Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the court that three additional suspects related to the incident are yet to be apprehended.

Due to the inability to locate these suspects, CID detectives requested the court to confiscate their properties.

Lawyers presented a report from a renowned specialist doctor indicating that the health condition of 82-year-old Mervyn Silva has deteriorated.

Considering this report, the Magistrate stated that if the treatment provided at the prison hospital is insufficient, permission will be granted to refer him to an appropriate specialist doctor.

Local milk producer, Milco Private Limited, has announced a reduction in the price of several of its products, effective from today (01 Apr).

Accordingly, the price of a Highland yoghurt cup has been reduced by Rs. 10, with the new price being Rs. 70.

The prices of several fresh milk products have also been reduced as follows;

450ml pasteurized milk – reduced from Rs. 225 to Rs. 200

450ml fresh milk packet – reduced from Rs. 200 to Rs. 170

900ml fresh milk packet – reduced from Rs. 440 to Rs. 380

Milco Private Limited states the price reduction has been implemented to provide concessions to the public.