President kicks off digital transformation to elevate Sri Lanka
Daily FT: Aimed at accelerating Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, three key digital initiatives were officially launched on 7 February by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
These initiatives include the establishment of the ‘GovPay’ Government digital payment platform, the expansion of the President’s Fund services to the Divisional Secretariat level, and the introduction of the eBMD system for obtaining birth, marriage, and death certificates through embassies.
The project is being jointly implemented by the Digital Economy Ministry, the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), and LankaPay, with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka ensuring the security of the payment platform and fostering public trust in its operations. Through the ‘GovPay’ platform, payments for all services related to 16 Government institutions can be processed in the initial phase. Starting from April, an additional 30 Government institutions are planned to be integrated into the platform. Moving forward, there is an ambition to unify all Government institutions under this system. Currently, 12 State and private banks have already joined the platform. Speaking at the event, President Dissanayake emphasised that technological advancements play a pivotal role in improving people’s lives by delivering efficient, high-quality, and cost-effective services. He noted that throughout history, technological progress has been a driving force behind societal advancement, continuously elevating human civilization. The President also highlighted that the President’s Fund has traditionally been managed from Colombo, which has posed significant challenges for citizens in remote villages. To address this, the Fund’s operations will now be decentralised to the Divisional Secretariat level, ensuring greater accessibility and convenience.
He further stressed that such transformative decisions should have been made long ago, as delays in policy implementation have hampered economic progress and public welfare. However, with digitalisation, urban and rural communities are now more interconnected than ever, making technology a vital tool in addressing rural poverty and resolving grassroots challenges.
President Dissanayake reaffirmed that digitalisation is the key driver that can propel Sri Lanka to a new stage of development, enabling citizens to meet their needs seamlessly, free from obstacles, inefficiencies, and bureaucratic delays.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that due to the mechanised nature of modern life, the Sri Lankan people have gradually lost their connection to cultural living. However, he pointed out that digitalisation could facilitate the revival of cultural life, making it essential to ensure the success of this initiative. He further stated that the introduction of the Digital National Identity Card (Digital ID) marks a key milestone in this transformation.
The President stressed the urgency of implementing these changes rapidly, highlighting that transparency, efficiency, and bridging the urban-rural divide are critical to Sri Lanka’s digital transformation. He assured that the Government is making significant efforts to elevate the nation to a new level through digitalization.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic activities that have resulted in an overall economic expansion have placed the country on the path to becoming a regional hub. This in-turn has expanded the business/investment opportunities in the country’s ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors given that Sri Lanka is required to be on par with the fast-evolving global standards in the ICT and digitization. The Sri Lankan government is also focused on transforming the country into an e-economy by launching a digitization project covering key sectors. The private sector in the country has also given prominence to digitizing operations. All these initiatives have therefore expanded the business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors. The growth and profits recorded by local businesses engaged in these two sectors and the country’s overall economic expansion indicate the increasing in Sri Lanka’s ICT and digital infrastructure development sectors. Foreign businesses/investors could therefore confidently explore the expanding opportunities while looking at expanding operations through partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20250214/Z_4 |