The President issued these instructions today (19) during a progress review meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat regarding projects and programs implemented in 2026 under the Ministry of Digital Economy.

The progress of projects and programs currently implemented by the Ministry of Digital Economy and its affiliated bodies was broadly discussed under the government's plan to boost Sri Lanka's digital economy to $30 billion by 2030.

Accordingly, the operational status and progress of projects across various institutions—including the Department for Registration of Persons, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), Sri Lanka CERT, Data Protection Authority, GovTech, Sri Lanka Telecom-Mobitel, Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company, and the television program digitization project—were reviewed individually.

Key updates highlighted during the meeting include:

  • Digital National Identity Card: The President inquired about the progress of issuing the Digital ID; ministry officials noted that necessary arrangements are underway and the first Digital ID is planned to be issued by the end of this year.

  • GovPay Platform: Progress was reviewed on simplifying public-to-government transactions, with officials noting that payment for all traffic fines will be facilitated exclusively online starting this September.

  • Key Digital Initiatives: Discussions covered the National Super App, the "National QR Drive" aimed at reducing cash usage, the National Data Exchange (NDX) for secure inter-agency data sharing, Number Portability (switching networks without changing phone numbers), and the government digital procurement platform.

  • Public Sector Digitization & Skills: Progress was reviewed for the Public Impact Champions Network (PIC-Net), Data Transmission Unit (DTU), AI Data Center, and the GovTech Academy program designed to enhance ICT skills and innovation across public services.

  • GovTech Operations: Current progress regarding the launch of GovTech, development of technical infrastructure, and staff recruitment was also evaluated.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Senior Presidential Adviser on Digital Economy Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy Varuna Sri Dhanapala, alongside heads of institutions under the Ministry.