The Ministries of Digital Economy and Public Administration have jointly introduced interim guidelines for heads of government institutions on the optimal use of digital technologies in delivering public services remotely. 

According to the Ministry of Digital Economy, the move follows a Cabinet Committee directive aimed at ensuring the systematic maintenance of public services amid ongoing energy challenges.

The Cabinet Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, instructed the Ministry of Digital Economy to explore remote work options in consultation with the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government. 

The decision comes against the backdrop of unrest in the Middle East since February 28, 2026, and global economic trends that have strained Sri Lanka’s fuel supply and energy management.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Digital Economy has compiled guidelines in all three languages, available at https://mode.gov.lk/docs/guidelines. The document outlines approved methods for conducting administrative and service delivery activities from home or office using digital technology.

The guidelines state that under the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006, government documents created, approved, and circulated electronically are legally valid. Scanned signatures, digital signatures, and approvals via official government email are recognized as authentic.

The government’s official video conferencing platform, https://meet.gov.lk, introduced during the Covid‑19 pandemic, has been recommended as the primary tool for official communication, with commercial platforms permitted as alternatives for limited periods.

Heads of Departments have been encouraged to strengthen the digital skills of officers and staff, while ensuring strict protection of official information. The initiative aligns with the Digital Economy Blueprint, a priority development program of the current government.

The Ministry of Public Administration has also issued Circular No. 02/2026 dated April 23, instructing Secretaries of Ministries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, and all Heads of Departments to inform public officials of the guidelines and ensure implementation.

Institutions, including the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Public Administration, and the Ministry of Digital Economy, are coordinating efforts to embed these practices across the public, the ministry added in a statement. (Newswire)

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Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa says approval has been granted to recruit 72,000 new personnel into the public service, with individual departments currently carrying out the recruitment process.

Addressing the post-Cabinet media briefing held yesterday, the minister said of this total, 9,000 appointments have been allocated to the health sector, with 7,200 already completed and the remaining 1,800 scheduled to be recruited by the end of December.

He further noted that previous governments had made mass appointments to the public service without considering actual needs or vacancies, often driven by political motives.

“In some public institutions, you can trace when someone was appointed based on which minister was in office. We do not follow such practices. We do not make politically motivated appointments. Recruitment is based on existing vacancies and the country’s economic conditions,” he said. 

Minister Jayatissa added that digitalization efforts are also being considered in the recruitment process, with appointments made to essential services accordingly. “Recruitment is being carried out in a regulated manner aligned with retirement rates, which will gradually reduce the overall size of the public service,” he said. (Newswire)

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A special workshop on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform the public service into a productive and efficient one was held for government executive officers recently (17). 

According to the President’s Office, the workshop, titled “AI for Transforming Public Service”, was held at the Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Auditorium of the University of Ruhuna. 

Executive-level government officers from the Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts participated in the workshop, organised by the Southern Provincial Council in collaboration with the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Digital Economy. 

The workshop aimed to create awareness and preparedness among public officers as an initial step in the government’s programme for the digitalisation of the public service and to foster a positive attitude towards Artificial Intelligence within the state sector. 

Chief Adviser to the President on Digital Economy, Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, delivered the keynote address. Officials from the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, including Harsha Purasinghe and Samisa Abeysinghe, members of the ministry’s Digital Task Force, also contributed as resource persons. 

Among those present were the Chief Secretary of the Southern Province, Attorney-at-Law Sumith Alahakoon, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, District Secretaries and several other distinguished officials. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted to fill 5882 vacancies in government services. 

Accordingly, the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs is to fill 2500 vacancies, the highest number of recruitments.

The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Governments have been approved to recruit 1615 persons. 

Recruitments are also to be made by several other key ministries, such as Transport, Ports and Civil Aviation, Women and Child Affairs, Justice, and Education. (Newswire)

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