(21.06.2012)     'Sri Lanka is achieving economic growth with a proper eco-friendly mechanism, President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil said yesterday.

(20.12.2012) Responding to the policy measures taken in the first quarter of 2012, expenditure on imports recorded its first full month decline in April 2012.Expenditure on imports recorded a year-on-year decline of 3.3 per cent to US dollars 1,441 million in April 2012, for the first time in 25 months.

(20.06.2012) Construction of 640 houses in progress...Govt offers Rs 500,000 soft housing loan...Work in progress on the housing scheme....A housing scheme is being constructed in Omanthai for public servants in the Vavuniya district in line with the government’s Jana Sevana housing project. Under this project, the construction of 640 houses is in progress. Construction commenced on September 24 last year with the assistance of several ministries including the Economic Development Ministry.

(20.06.2012) Sri Lanka’s Timex and Fergasam Group (T&FG), a manufacturer and exporter of high quality garments is ready to commence the construction of twin apparel factories in Mannar Industrial Zone approved by Board of Investment (BOI) end of June 2012. This proposed US $ 5 million worth factory, a first in the Mannar region will be ready for commercial operations by January 2013. According to the Group Chairman with the commencement of the new factory complex over 1,200 employment opportunities would be created for the people in the area.

(19.06.2012)     The roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) vessel, MV Cygnus Leader of the Japanese NYK Line made its first call at the Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port on June 13. Cygnus Leader, with the capacity to load 6,500 units of vehicles onboard, called at the MRMR Port on its way from Japan to the Middle East and discharged 806 vehicles and machinery manufactured in Japan, Germany, UK and Thailand that was consigned to Sri Lanka.

(19.06.2012)     Bank of Ceylon created history by recording Rs one trillion Balance Sheet at as end May this year. “This is the first time that a corporate entity has achieved this significant mile stone and this could be attributed to strong foundation during the 70 year banking history and working towards a corporate plan. In keeping with the 011012 target – Rs one trillion balance sheet, Rs 10 billion profit and 2012 as the time frame, we were able to achieve both the targets well before the target time,” Bank of Ceylon Chairman Dr. Gamini Wickramasinghe told.

Around two million families in Sri Lanka are engaged in farming as their main occupation, said Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

(18.06.2012) All countries in the SAARC region except Sri Lanka suffer from massive energy shortages which hamper their drive towards reaching economic development goals. One-third of the global population without access to electricity supply are from South Asia which is the poorest region in the world, World Bank Chief Economist for South Asia Kalpana Kochhar said last week.

(18.06.2012) President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Cuban President Raul Castro agreed on Saturday to further strengthen cooperation between their countries. The two leaders met for official talks at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana on Saturday where the Cuban President welcomed President Rajapaksa with a military guard of honour.

(13.06.2012) Irrigation and Water Resources Development Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the ministry will release water from the Rambaken Oya reservoir being built by the Irrigation Department to crop fields in the areas around Padiyathalava and Mahaoya, between Ampara and Mahiyanganaya during the next maha cultivation period beginning August 2013. The minister visited the Rambaken-oya reservoir construction site, off Mahaoya recently.

(13.06.2012) Sri Lanka's tourist arrivals in May jumped 17.5 percent from a year earlier, government data showed yesterday.

(13.06.2012) Sri Lanka has received orders for over 100,000 metric tons of rice from several countries in the African and Middle Eastern regions, Cooperatives and Internal Trade Ministry Secretary Sunil S Sirisena said. According to the Secretary, the orders are from Kenya, South Africa, Dubhai, Somalia and Ethiopia.

(12.06.2012) The government is taking measures to prevent Sri Lanka becoming a hub of criminal activities with the country gaining popularity as a tourist destination in the new era of peace, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said yesterday.

(12.06.2012) Sri Lanka’s tourism chief is urging European businessmen to capitalize on the island's investment opportunities.The Indian Ocean Island is experiencing a boom in tourists and leisure industry related-developments, three-years after government forces ended the decade’s long conflict with Tami Tiger terrorists.

(11.06.2012)     Sri Lanka which was a rice importing country until recently has achieved self sufficiency in rice production due to extensive encouragement made for paddy cultivation by the government by providing various incentives including fertilizer subsidy.