The public can make payments using credit and debit cards at all Divisional Secretariat Offices in the Colombo District from today onwards, marking a major step in the government’s digitalization drive.
The new facility was officially launched at the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who ceremonially inaugurated POS machines at the Registrar’s Division and the Vehicle Revenue Licence Division.
She also symbolically witnessed the issuance of birth certificates and vehicle licences using the new system.
Implemented under the guidance of the Colombo District Secretariat with financial and technical support from the Bank of Ceylon (BOC), the project covers all 13 Divisional Secretariat Offices in the district. It allows secure card payments for services requiring fees, reducing reliance on cash.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya said modernizing Sri Lanka’s public sector in line with global digital transformation is a key government priority.
She noted that the system will enable citizens to obtain services more efficiently, with faster transactions, reduced risks of fraud, and improved transparency in revenue collection.
The new POS payment system offers several benefits, including convenience of direct card payments without carrying cash, faster processing of transactions and reduced waiting times, enhanced transparency through accurate recording of government revenue, and contribution to the digital economy by encouraging modern payment technologies. (Newswire)