The functions of Departments and Statutory Institutions coming under a number of ministries have been revised by President Maithripala Sirisena through a Gazette Extraordinary yesterday.
The Gazette was issued by the Presidential Secretariat in line with the recent changes made to the Cabinet of Ministers including the mini-cabinet reshuffle that took place on February 25.
The names of Ministry headings have been revised and new functions have been added to several ministries.
The Police Department, National Dangerous Drugs Control Board and Training Schools for Youthful Offenders have been gazetted under new Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara.
Central Bank and Securities and Exchange Commission have been gazetted under the Finance and Mass Media Ministry held by Minister Mangala Samaraweera. The formulation of monetary policies and macro-economic management in coordination with the Central Bank and the monitoring of revenue collection and expenditure have been added as new functions to the Finance and Mass Media Ministry.
Department of Food Commissioner as well as Insurance Corporation of Sri Lanka and its subsidiaries and associated companies excluding Litro Gas Lanka Ltd have been gazetted under the National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry coming under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
As per the Gazette Extraordinary, the National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry will no longer be responsible for the implementation of Monetary Law Act, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Act, Exchange Control Act, Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka Act, National Youth Service Council Act, Youth Corps Act, Children and Young Persons Ordinance and the National Insurance Trust Fund Act.
The National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry’s function has been revised as “formulating policies and programmes, monitoring and evaluation in regard to subjects of national policies and economic affairs, and those subjects coming under the purview of Departments, Statutory Institutions and Public Corporations listed under the ministry”.
Lanka Litro Gas Limited has been gazetted under the Public Enterprise and Kandy Development Ministry. The Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry has received the new function of “Policy formulation, implementation and co-ordination of Government economic and infrastructure development projects for rehabilitation and resettlement in North and East”.
All public institutions related to youth including the National Youth Services Council and National Youth Corps, which previously came under the National Policies and Economic Affairs Ministry, have been gazetted under the Project Management, Youth Affairs and Southern Development Ministry held by Minister Sagala Rathnayake. The National Insurance Trust Fund, Strike, Riot and Civil Commotion and Terrorism Fund, Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka and the Employees Trust Fund also come under the purview of Minister Rathnayake as per the latest Gazette.
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Agency have been gazetted under Minister Harin Fernando, who was appointed the Foreign Employment Minister in addition to the Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Development Ministry held by him.
The Kantalai Sugar Corporation has been gazetted under the Primary Industries Ministry held by Daya Gamage. The revisions mentioned in the Gazette are effective from yesterday.