Kanchana Wijesekera – Newswire https://www.newswire.lk Sri Lanka's largest News aggregator Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:41:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.7 https://www.newswire.lk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/favicon.png Kanchana Wijesekera – Newswire https://www.newswire.lk 32 32 Who built the Fuel Pass System? Kanchana reveals https://www.newswire.lk/2026/03/16/who-built-the-fuel-pass-system-kanchana-reveals/ Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:41:02 +0000 https://www.newswire.lk/?p=227294

Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has credited several stakeholders, highlighting that the National Fuel Pass QR systemContinue Reading

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Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has credited several stakeholders, highlighting that the National Fuel Pass QR system was developed and rolled out within a month at no cost to the government. 

Taking to ‘X’, Wijesekera said that credit for developing the National Fuel Pass QR system belongs to Jayantha De Silva and his team at the Information Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA), Supun Weerasinghe and his team at Dialog Axiata, and Shevan Goonathilake and his team at Millennium IT.

“Their teams developed the platform within 2 weeks of our first meeting and rolled it out within a month at no cost to the government. It was implemented with the assistance and dedication of many more stakeholders,” he added.

The National Fuel Pass QR System, which was introduced in August 2022 during the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, has once again been introduced due to the crisis in the Middle East region caused by the conflict between the USA and Iran. (Newswire)

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NDF clarifies why Faiszer nominated despite Ranil approving Kanchana https://www.newswire.lk/2024/12/12/ndf-clarifies-why-faiszer-nominated-despite-ranil-approving-kanchana/ Thu, 12 Dec 2024 06:40:47 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=167678

Former Minister Faiszer Musthapha’s name was selected as the National List MP of the National Democratic Front (NDF), despite partyContinue Reading

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Former Minister Faiszer Musthapha’s name was selected as the National List MP of the National Democratic Front (NDF), despite party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe having approved the name of former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, a new statement by the NDF reveals. 

The statement issued by the NDF Secretary, clarifying the decision behind Mustapha’s nomination, says that Kanchana Wijesekera’s name was proposed with the signatures of 18 other alliance members and had also been agreed to by Wickremesinghe.

The NDF Secretary said, however, that at the same time, another proposal was made nominating Faizer Mustapha. 

Following this, former Prime Minister Dinesh Guanwardena’s name had also been proposed, but Gunawardena had presented an alternative request nominating former minister Tiran Alles. 

The NDF Secretary said taking into consideration the various nominations, the party decided to convene its Political Council and decided to select the name which has a majority consensus, instead of an alliance-based consensus. 

The clarification comes after former Minister Faiszer Musthapha’s name was yesterday gazetted by the Election Commission as a National List MP of the National Democratic Front. (Newswire)

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NDF National List seat : Thondaman campaigns for Kanchana https://www.newswire.lk/2024/11/19/ndf-national-list-seat-thondaman-campaigns-for-kanchana/ Tue, 19 Nov 2024 04:18:16 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=165383

Former Minister Jeevan Thondaman has urged the National Democratic Front (NDF) to consider former Minister of Power and Energy KanchanaContinue Reading

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Former Minister Jeevan Thondaman has urged the National Democratic Front (NDF) to consider former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera for the remaining National List seat of the party, highlighting that the new Parliament requires experienced politicians in the opposition. 

In a statement on ‘X’, Thondaman said considering the National Peoples’ Power (NPP) Government’s supermajority in Parliament, it was important that the opposition had Parliamentarians experienced in the ongoing reforms to hold the Government accountable. 

“I hope that the remaining National List seat of the New Democratic Front is given to Kanchana Wijesekera, who led the most ambitious and difficult reforms in the energy sector in our country’s history. He set the stage for competition, transparent pricing and accountability in our energy sector. He did all of this knowing that the political outcome of his decisions would not be good for him. Kanchana risked his electoral prospects so that the ultimate winner of his reforms would be the Sri Lankan consumer,” Thondaman said.

The former Minister further highlighted that due to Kanchana Wijesekera’s efforts, today, Sri Lankans are no longer beholden to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) or the Lanka Indian Oil Company (IOC) PLC when buying fuel. 

Jeevan Thondaman also pointed out that likewise, if the authorities follow through with Wijesekera’s reforms in the Electricity Act, Sri Lankans won’t be entrapped by the high prices and frequent power cuts of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) either. 

Former Minister Thondaman emphasized that like telecoms and fuel, Sri Lankans deserve the right to choose their energy provider and to be free from monopolies. (Newswire)

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General Election results: Several former ministers out of Parliament https://www.newswire.lk/2024/11/15/general-election-results-several-former-ministers-out-of-parliament/ Thu, 14 Nov 2024 23:44:17 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=164913

Several former ministers have failed to secure a seat in Parliament following the 2024 General Election. Former Agriculture Minister MahindaContinue Reading

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Several former ministers have failed to secure a seat in Parliament following the 2024 General Election.

Former Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is out of Parliament as his party fell short of securing a seat in Hambantota.

Former Ministers Ramesh Pathirana and Manusha Nanayakkara are also out of Parliament as their party failed to secure a seat in Galle.

Kanchana Wijesekera, who served as Power and Energy Minister in the previous government, has failed to retain his seat in Parliament.

Rajapaksa scion and former state minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa is out of the Parliamentary race.

Nipuna Ranawaka, a Rajapaksa family relative and the candidate with the highest votes in the 2020 Parliamentary election, has failed to secure a seat this time.

Meanwhile, Daham Sirisena, the son of former President Maithripala Sirisena, who contested from the Saravajana Balaya Party in the Polonnaruwa District has also failed to secure a seat in Parliament.

As of 05.00 am, the National People’s Power (NPP) leads with 22 seats, followed by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) with 04 seats and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) with 2 seats.

For more details on the general election visit https://election.newswire.lk (Newswire)

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“CPC not the regulator” Kanchana hits back at fuel pricing claims https://www.newswire.lk/2024/11/05/cpc-not-the-regulator-kanchana-hits-back-at-fuel-pricing-claims/ Tue, 05 Nov 2024 10:08:52 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=163942

Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has refuted recent claims by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) regarding fuelContinue Reading

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Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has refuted recent claims by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) regarding fuel price revision, stating that according to the fuel price formula, the CPC can decide on the monthly pricing independent of other operators.

Taking to ‘X’, Kanchana Wijesekera said the CPC’ss fuel pricing has nothing to do with any other competitors’ or operators’ pricing, adding that the CPC is also another operator and not the regulator of the industry. 

“The pricing formula was implemented for the CPC to be cost-reflective. The CPC can decide on their monthly pricing independently of others, according to the formula. The refinery gains and losses have to be reflected in the pricing formula as long as it’s under the CPC management,” he said.

The former Power and Energy Minister revealed that the previous government did not enter into any agreement with any other operator to compensate for losses they made on their sales or pricing.

“The Government is only liable to pay any compensation from the Treasury to the operators including the CPC, if a fuel subsidy is approved by the Government and granted to the consumers,” he added. 

Kanchana Wijesekera’s comments come in response to CPC Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna’s recent claims that the CPC was unable to make independent decisions on price revisions due to the agreements signed with other companies related to the fuel supply process.

Responding to concerns on the recent fuel price revision, Rajakaruna said that the CPC was unable to change the price the way it wanted due to these agreements. 

He also pointed out that according to the current agreements, if the other companies suffer a loss, and if their expenses are higher than the current price of the formula, the government is bound to pay them the loss.

“The Energy Ministry and the Finance Ministry intervened and decided a price according to the price formula. That is how the price for this month was determined. We would have been able to shuffle the reduction of prices between various fuels if there was no involvement of other companies and we could make independent decisions. It is because of this issue that we haven’t been able to change the price the way we want,” he added, addressing the media yesterday. (Newswire)

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Kanchana says PM Harini’s statement false, releases documents https://www.newswire.lk/2024/10/29/kanchana-says-pm-harinis-statement-false-releases-documents/ Tue, 29 Oct 2024 08:54:13 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=163323

Former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera alleges that the recent statement made by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on the former government’s proposalContinue Reading

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Former Minister Kanchana Wijesekera alleges that the recent statement made by Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on the former government’s proposal related to state sector salaries was false and misleading.

Taking to ‘X’, Kanchana Wijesekera said that the previous government of Ranil Wickremesinghe took all the necessary steps per the procedures to approve the salary increments for state sector employees from January 2025. 

“The approval of the Cabinet was granted to appoint a committee and to evaluate the state sector and the salary increments in May 2024. The committee met with trade unions and stakeholders to discuss the state sector issues. The committee recommendations were handed over to the President and were presented to the cabinet and approved in August 2024,” he said. 

The former minister further said that in August 2024, the Cabinet approved the incorporation of the recommendations in the 2025 Budget proposals and to allocate the necessary funds. 

Kanchana Wijesekera revealed that the committee comprised officials from the Treasury, Budget Department, Management Services and other necessary stakeholders. 

His comments come in response to PM Harini Amarasuriya’s recent claims that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe had announced a Cabinet decision to increase public servant salaries, but the necessary procedures to implement this decision were not followed.

“Although Ranil Wickremesinghe claims that a decision was taken to raise the salaries of public servants, when reviewing this Cabinet decision, it’s evident that it was not approved with consent from the Treasury or officials from the Ministry of Finance. A decision was announced, but the necessary actions to implement it were not taken. So, what does that mean? It clearly indicates a false promise given during the election period to mislead the public,” the Premier said while speaking at a public gathering in Padukka earlier this week. (Newswire)

 

 

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Former minister questions Govt over travel advisories on Arugam Bay https://www.newswire.lk/2024/10/24/former-minister-questions-govt-over-travel-advisories-on-arugam-bay/ Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:56:28 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=162792

Former minister Kanchana Wijesekera has raised concerns over the incumbent government’s inaction despite it having received information by October 07thContinue Reading

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Former minister Kanchana Wijesekera has raised concerns over the incumbent government’s inaction despite it having received information by October 07th on potential threats to Israeli tourists in the Arugam Bay area in Sri Lanka. 

Taking to ‘X’, Kanchana Wijesekera questioned why the government had not briefed the overseas diplomatic missions on the steps taken concerning the information on the potential attacks.

“While the threat to national security should never be taken lightly, Tourism income is one of the most important revenue streams for the country,” Kanchana Wijesekera said. 

He pointed out that if the government had had information beforehand and had briefed the diplomatic missions, then a travel advisory warning could have been prevented with the precautions taken. 

“The government should at least now call a meeting with the diplomatic missions and the security officials, brief them on the steps taken and work with the foreign missions to remove the travel advisory on Sri Lanka,” the former minister added. 

His comments come after the US Embassy in Sri Lanka issued a travel advisory to its citizens, stating that it had received credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area.

Soon after several more countries, including the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and Russia, also updated their travel advisory related to Sri Lanka.

The National Security Council of Israel had also called on Israelis to leave Sri Lanka’s Arugam Bay area and other beaches in the island’s south and west immediately, citing terrorism threats.

As of now, two suspects have been arrested by officials from the Terrorism Investigations Division (TID), on suspicion over the alleged threats to Israeli tourists in the Arugam Bay area in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

 

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Did the former govt recover due Revenue from Petroleum dealers? https://www.newswire.lk/2024/09/30/did-the-former-govt-recover-due-revenue-from-petroleum-dealers/ Mon, 30 Sep 2024 10:51:32 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=160329

Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has refuted recent media reports claiming that the previous Government of PresidentContinue Reading

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Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has refuted recent media reports claiming that the previous Government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe failed to recover due revenue from Petroleum Dealers.

Taking to ‘X’, the former minister rejected the ‘misleading and false headline’, stating that they are being circulated on social media in a false manner. 

“In April 2022 when I assumed duties at the Ministry of Power and Energy, instructions were given to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to recover due revenue from lease agreements, rentals and dealer margins from the decisions which were approved by the CPC board in 2006 and not implemented until 2014. 

“The Ministry instructed the CPC in 2022 to recover the revenue that was due from 2014. When the CPC started recovering in 2022, the Petroleum Dealers Association prevented the CPC recovery with an interim order against the decision,” he said. 

Providing further details, Kanchana Wijesekera said after two years of legal battles, on the 30th of August 2024 the High Court of Civil Appeals dismissed the order and the appeal and paved the way for the CPC to recover lost revenue. 

“In the meantime, the CPC appointed a committee to probe the officials who had failed to recover dues over the last 10 years. The investigation report with the recommendations was handed over to the CPC on the 11th of September 2024. 

“Accordingly the CPC has taken necessary steps to interdict officials named and steps to file legal action against the rest. Since the interdiction took place during the election period, the approval was required from the election commission to interdict the officials,” he said. 

The former minister added that it was now up to the current Government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to follow through with the process, recover the lost revenue, and pass down the benefit of the court decision to the consumers. (Newswire)

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Wijesekara welcomes restart of schemes funded by previous government https://www.newswire.lk/2024/09/27/wijesekara-welcomes-restart-of-schemes-funded-by-previous-government/ Fri, 27 Sep 2024 10:07:30 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=160098

Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara, has welcomed the resumption of several government initiatives, including the increase ofContinue Reading

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Former Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara, has welcomed the resumption of several government initiatives, including the increase of the fertilizer subsidy announced yesterday. 

Wijesekera said that these schemes, initially funded by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government, were paused by the Election Commission during the Presidential election. 

The projects have now resumed under President Anura Dissanayake, Wijesekera said. 

The revived policies include increasing the fertilizer subsidy from LKR 15,000 to LKR 25,000 and introducing a fuel subsidy for fishermen. 

Wijesekara also highlighted the procurement of solar panels for religious institutions under the Indian Credit Line, with the first shipment arriving in July. (Newswire)

 

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Reducing Rs 50 tax from Fuel : Kanchana’s question to AKD https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/25/reducing-rs-50-tax-from-fuel-kanchanas-question-to-akd/ Sun, 25 Aug 2024 08:37:49 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=156791

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera alleges National People’s Power (NPP) Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has misled theContinue Reading

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Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera alleges National People’s Power (NPP) Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake has misled the public with his vow to remove the Rs. 50 per litre tax on fuel.

Taking to ‘X’, Minister Wijesekera said MP Dissanayake had recently stated that he would reduce fuel prices by removing the Rs 50 per litre tax on fuel which was imposed in 2022 to recover the debt taken over by the Treasury as the debt has been recovered as of now. 

“I’m not sure how they come up with these numbers and claims to mislead the public and the voters. The President had to make unpopular, but correct decisions to stabilize the economy and the energy sector. Due to those decisions, we have an uninterrupted supply of fuel in the country,” the minister said. 

Giving a breakdown of the fuel tax, Minister Wijesekera said the Treasury took over Rs 1200 billion (USD 3400 Million) worth of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CPC) debt in 2022 and imposed a Rs 25 per litre tax initially and increased it in 2023 to Rs 50 per litre tax to recover the debt by 2029. 

He further said that at the beginning of 2025, the estimated debt remaining will be Rs 656 Billion and that it would take the CPC another 4 years to repay the entire debt that was transferred to the Treasury. 

“I would like to know how AKD will reduce the Rs. 50 tax and bridge the gap of Rs. 656 billion remaining. Is he going to print money, obtain more loans to repay, increase other taxes or any other way?” the minister questioned.

Minister Kanchana Wijesekera further extended an invitation to the National Peoples’ Power (NPP) and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to a debate on their energy policies, the government’s energy policy, and allegations of corruption in the energy sector.

His comments come in response to MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent promise that fuel prices in Sri Lanka will be reduced, under an NPP government. 

Addressing an election rally, MP Dissanayake said the CPC had a $3 billion loan with the Bank of Ceylon and the People’s Bank, which the Treasury took over, and as a result, a charge of Rs. 50 per litre of fuel was implemented to repay this loan.

Noting that although the loan is nearly fully repaid, the Rs. 50 per litre charge continues to burden the public, MP Dissanayake assured that an NPP government would conduct a thorough review and reduce fuel prices accordingly. (NewsWire)

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CEB’s 2024 profits and balances : Minister issues clarification https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/21/cebs-2024-profits-and-balances-minister-issues-clarification/ Wed, 21 Aug 2024 06:14:57 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=156378

The net profit of Rs 93 Billion recorded by June 2024 by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has been usedContinue Reading

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The net profit of Rs 93 Billion recorded by June 2024 by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has been used to settle payments for various power projects, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said. 

Taking to ‘X’, the minister said the net profit was utilized to pay the outstanding amounts to renewable energy developers, thermal power plants, coal procurement, local suppliers, dues to major projects, rooftop solar, and short-term banking facilities. 

Minister Wijesekera further said the electricity consumer tariffs have been revised and reduced considering the other profits after the settlement of payments.

The minister’s clarification comes after it was reported that the CEB has reported a net profit after taxes in the April-June quarter of this year and that the net profit was reported after paying Rs. 34.53 billion in taxes.

Previously, the CEB reported a net profit after taxes of Rs.  84.67 billion in the January – March quarter. It was further reported that the CEB has recorded a total profit of Rs. 119.20 billion in the first half of 2024. (Newswire)

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Harin & Manusha SC verdict : Kanchana writes https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/09/harin-manusha-sc-verdict-kanchana-writes/ Fri, 09 Aug 2024 06:06:26 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=154834

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has applauded the services of Minister of Tourism and Sports Harin Fernando andContinue Reading

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Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera has applauded the services of Minister of Tourism and Sports Harin Fernando and Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara for the incumbent government.

Taking to ‘X’, Minister Wijesekera praised his fellow ministers after the Supreme Court today upheld the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s decision to expel senior members Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara from the party, a ruling that will see both politicians lose their parliamentary seats and ministerial positions.

Commenting on the court’s ruling, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said the two ministers had extended their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at a very critical time for the country.

He further said they both put their political careers on the line knowing this outcome in the hour of need. 

Full statement : 

The Supreme Court today gave an order in terms of the law of the country and the constitution of the SJB. 

Both @fernandoharin & @nanayakkara77 extended their support to President @RW_UNP at a very critical time of the country. They both put their political careers on the line knowing this outcome in the hour of need. 

No one can take away the work both did towards the recovery of the economy and the country. Tourism and Foreign Employment earnings and numbers speaks volumes of their hard work in the last two years. 

Before they joined the Government I have had many political battles on different political and policy views and opinions with the both of them. Not many would have put their political careers and their Parliament membership on the line for the country’s national agenda. They put the country before their political party. Thank you Harin & Manusha. (Newswire)

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Kanchana releases details of SLPP Matara DC resolution to support Ranil https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/07/kanchana-releases-details-of-slpp-matara-dc-resolution-to-support-ranil/ Wed, 07 Aug 2024 12:27:05 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=154664

The recent resolutions passed at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Matara District Committee, including support for President Ranil WickremesingheContinue Reading

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The recent resolutions passed at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Matara District Committee, including support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming election, have been conveyed to the SLPP.

Taking to ‘X’, Minister and SLPP MP Kanchana Wijesekera said the SLPP Matara District Committee’s decisions have been communicated to the Party Leaders. 

Minister Wijesekera further said the decisions include the district committee’s support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the call to remove Sagara Kariyawasam from the post of SLPP General Secretary.

Following the meeting earlier this month, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam must be removed from his position, as it is evident that his actions were negatively impacting the party.

Minister Wijesekera said the SLPP’s decision to field its own candidate for the Presidential Election was not the view of Party Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“The decision taken by the party was not the decision of Party Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa which was conveyed to us during a previous meeting. It is evident that the decision announced by the SLPP was the proposal of former Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga. It is evident that decisions are now being taken without even being discussed with the party leader,” he said. 

He further said that it will be proposed to the SLPP to remove Sagara Kariyawasam and appoint Health Minister Ramesh Pathirane as the General Secretary, to prevent the party from being further destroyed. (Newswire)

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Kanchana wants SLPP Gen Sec removed, proposes new name https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/02/kanchana-wants-slpp-gen-sec-removed-proposes-new-name/ Fri, 02 Aug 2024 09:11:59 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=154185

Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam must be removed from his position, asContinue Reading

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Minister Kanchana Wijesekera says Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam must be removed from his position, as it is evident that his actions were negatively impacting the party.

Speaking to reporters, Minister Wijesekera said the SLPP’s decision to field its own candidate for the Presidential Election was not the view of Party Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“The decision taken by the party was not the decision of Party Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa which was conveyed to us during a previous meeting. It is evident that the decision announced by the SLPP was the proposal of former Ambassador Udayanga Weeratunga. It is evident that decisions are now being taken without even being discussed with the party leader,” he said. 

Stating that now doubts have arisen whether the SLPP General Secretary was working on the orders of the party leader or another group, led by Udayanga Weeratunga, Minister Wijesekera said it has been decided to propose the removal of Sagara Kariyawasam from the post of General Secretary.

He further said that it will be proposed to the SLPP to remove Sagara Kariyawasam and appoint Health Minister Ramesh Pathirane as the General Secretary, to prevent the party from being further destroyed.

The minister made the remarks while speaking to the media after attending a meeting of the SLPP’s Matara District Committee yesterday, during which it was decided to extend their support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the upcoming Presidential Elections. (Newswire)

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Fuel supply : Update from Minister https://www.newswire.lk/2024/08/01/fuel-supply-update-from-minister-2/ Thu, 01 Aug 2024 06:26:51 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=154050

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will continue an uninterrupted supply of fuel islandwide, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana WijesekeraContinue Reading

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The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will continue an uninterrupted supply of fuel islandwide, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera assured. 

Taking to ‘X’, Minister Wijesekera said uninterrupted fuel supply will be provided as the CPC maintains a buffer stock of all products.

“The refinery which is undergoing its annual maintenance and service will resume its operations mid-August,” he further said. 

The minister provided the update after having reviewed the fuel cargo plan for the next 6 months, stock availability, storage capacity, distribution plan, placement of orders and refinery operations with the CPC management yesterday. 

Minister Kanchana Wijesekera also revealed that the stocks and cargo plans of the Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), and US-based RM Parks Inc. were also reviewed. (Newswire)

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Minister Kanchana pledges support for President Ranil https://www.newswire.lk/2024/07/30/minister-kanchana-pledges-support-for-president-ranil/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:36:15 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=153836

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP and Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has pledged his support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in theContinue Reading

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Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP and Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has pledged his support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming Presidential polls. 

In a message on ‘X’, the Minister of Power & Energy announced that the majority of the SLPP Parliament group will also extend their support to the President.

He further said that they will extend their support to the President to continue the reforms and policies towards greater economic stability and the betterment of the country.

Minister Kanchana Wijesekera is the latest member of the SLPP to pledge their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Earlier today, SLPP Parliamentarian S.M. Chandrasena announced his support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the upcoming Presidential Election.

MP Chandrasena said that the SLPP Anuradhapura District Committee has also decided to extend its support for the President. 

Addressing a public event in Homagama on Monday, SLPP MP and Minister Bandula Gunawardena also announced his decision to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Presidential Election. 

Giving details on yesterday’s SLPP Politburo meeting, Minister Bandula Gunawardena said 11 SLPP members had requested the party not to field its own candidate and to instead support President Ranil Wickremesinghe on this one occasion. 

The announcements of the SLPP members come at a time when the SLPP has decided to field its own candidate and President Ranil Wickremesinghe has decided to contest as an independent candidate. 

The Presidential Election is scheduled to be held on 21st September 2024, while Nominations will be accepted on 15th August. (Newswire) 

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20% price cut in goods & services likely after electricity tariff revision https://www.newswire.lk/2024/07/17/20-price-cut-in-goods-services-likely-after-electricity-tariff-revision/ Wed, 17 Jul 2024 04:27:04 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=152764

An approximate reduction of 20% in the prices of goods and services in the market is likely following the revisionContinue Reading

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An approximate reduction of 20% in the prices of goods and services in the market is likely following the revision of electricity prices, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said. 

The new electricity tariff revision will take effect from July 16, the Minister said, while the next revision has been scheduled for October. 

“The government has decided to revise the electricity tariff every January, April, July, and October each year. Following the price adjustment in March, the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) requested a July revision instead of April. 

Therefore, the new electricity tariff revision will take effect from July 16. The next revision is scheduled for October,” he said. 

The Minister made these remarks addressing a media briefing held at the President’s Media Centre.

This tariff revision has provided the most relief to consumers using less than 90 units of electricity, particularly benefiting the 79% of households in this category, Minister Wijesekera revealed. 

“There has been a significant 20% price reduction for factories and small businesses in this electricity tariff revision. Despite this reduction, it appears unlikely that the prices of goods and services, which typically rise on the same night as electricity price hikes, will decrease accordingly. Recently, fuel and kerosene prices have also dropped without leading to lower consumer prices. 

Therefore, with the substantial decrease in electricity costs this year, we urge the public to take advantage of these savings, with the potential for at least a 20% reduction in overall expenses,” the Minister said. 

Responding to criticism that the electricity price revisions coincided with upcoming elections, the Minister said that the policies were formulated in 2022 through a formal process. The policies result from sound policy decisions rather than populist measures, he said. (Newswire)

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Rooftop solar : Revised tariffs revealed https://www.newswire.lk/2024/07/02/rooftop-solar-revised-tariffs-revealed/ Tue, 02 Jul 2024 07:47:31 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=151500

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved revising the tariff rates paid for New Rooftop Solar and Renewable Energy projects throughContinue Reading

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved revising the tariff rates paid for New Rooftop Solar and Renewable Energy projects through the feed-in tariff (FIT) system, Minister of Power & Energy Kanchana Wijesekera announced.

Taking to ‘X’, Minister Wijesekera said a formula was adopted in 2022 taking into consideration the USD rate, interest rates and other economic factors to revise the tariff rates and increase the rates paid for Rooftop Solar development and the feed-in tariff (FIT) system for other Renewable Energy development of less than 10MW. 

The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved the proposal by the Ministry of Power & Energy based on the stakeholder consultations and tariff committee report to revise the rates utilizing the same formula with the current economic indicators and benchmarking on rates received on competitive bidding and negotiated tariff projects for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) in 2024. 

Accordingly, the revised tariff rates for Rooftop Solar Development and Renewable Energy feed-in tariff will be applied to all new projects from July 01, 2024.

According to Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, the revised tariff rates are as follows;

  • Revised Rooftop Tariff – 20 Years flat rate 

Up to 500kW -Rs 27.06 

Over 500kW – Rs 23.18 

  • Revised feed-in tariff – 20 years flat rate 

Solar – Rs 25.48

Mini Hydro – Rs 30.53

Wind – Rs 29.86

Bio Mass – Rs 52.77 (Newswire)

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132 MWs from Solar Power added to National Grid in first 5 months of 2024 https://www.newswire.lk/2024/06/28/132-mws-from-solar-power-added-to-national-grid-in-first-5-months-of-2024/ Fri, 28 Jun 2024 04:12:22 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=151129

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera says 132 MWs from Solar Power generation have already been connected to theContinue Reading

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Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera says 132 MWs from Solar Power generation have already been connected to the National Grid in the first 5 months of 2024.

Providing a breakdown of Solar Power generation in Sri Lanka, the minister said the country had achieved 1000+ MWs from Solar Power generation by June 2024. 

Stating that 944 MWs were connected to the National Grid from Roof Top Solar development, he said 156 MWs were connected from Ground Mount Solar development. 

Minister Kanchana Wijesekera further said that Sri Lanka is also set to achieve 1000+ MWs from Roof Top development by the end of the year. 

He revealed that in the long-term generation plan, the target set for Roof Top Solar development was 150 MW per year for the next 4 years. (Newswire)

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CEB proposes electricity tariff reduction for July https://www.newswire.lk/2024/06/06/ceb-proposes-electricity-tariff-reduction-for-july/ Thu, 06 Jun 2024 06:59:10 +0000 http://www.newswire.lk/?p=149559

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has proposed a reduction in electricity tariffs, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said. Continue Reading

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The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has proposed a reduction in electricity tariffs, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said. 

Addressing the Parliament today, Minister Wijesekera said that the proposal will be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) in the next two days. 

He further said that if approved, the new electricity tariffs could come into effect from July 01, 2024.

Minister Wijesekara gave the following breakdown of the proposed electricity tariffs;

  • 0-30 units – 

reduced by Rs. 2 from Rs. 8 to Rs. 6

  • 30-60 units – 

reduced by Rs. 11 from Rs. 20 to Rs. 09

  • 60-90 units – 

reduced by Rs. 12 from Rs. 30 to Rs. 18

  • 90- 120 units –

reduced by Rs. 20 from Rs. 50- Rs. 30 (Newswire)

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