Two new Ministerial portfolios gazetted

A Gazette Extraordinary has been issued creating a new portfolio titled Minister of Technology and Investment Promotion and Minister of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment.

This was announced in a communiqué published by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last night (June 09), amending a previous gazette notification issued by him on the 27th of May, by virtue of the powers vested in him under paragraph (1) (a) of Article 44 of the Constitution.

Departments and institutions gazetted under the purview of the Minister of Technology and Investment Promotion are listed below:

1. Department of Registration of Persons
2. Department of Immigration and Emigration
3. Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka and Allied Institutions
4. Information and Communication Technology Agency and Allied Institutions
5. Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team
6. Sri Lanka Telecom and its Subsidiaries and Allied Institutions
7. Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Pvt.) Limited
8. Techno Park Development Company (Pvt.) Limited
9. Information Technology Parks (Jaffna & Mannar)
10. Industrial Technology Institute
11. Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology (Pvt.) Ltd.
12. Sri Lanka Standards Institute
13. Sri Lanka Institute of Biotechnology (Pvt.) Ltd.
14. Board of Investment of Sri Lanka
15. Colombo Port City Economic Commission

The functions and duties assigned to the new ministerial portfolio are as follows:

1. Formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, programmes and projects, in relation to the subject of Technology and Investment Promotion and those subjects that come under the purview of Departments, Statutory Institutions and Public Corporations listed in Column II based on the national policies implemented by the government, and in accordance with the policy statement “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”

2. Provision of public services under the purview of the Ministry in an efficient and people friendly manner

3. Reforming all systems and procedures using modern management techniques and technology, thus ensuring that the functions of the Ministry are fulfilled while eliminating corruption and waste

4. Promote sustained development in the telecommunication industry by shaping the regulatory process, protecting public interest and being responsive to challenges in an increasingly competitive market

5. Take necessary measures for the provision of information and communication technology facilities for all by adoption of modern technologies

6. Facilitate and supervise information technology initiatives for inter government agencies for promoting productivity and efficiency in the delivery of services

7. Implementation of programmes for promotion of information and communication technology literacy

8. Development of strategies to encourage and increase the use of information and communication technologies in all segments of the society, and coordinate and facilitate the information and communication technology initiatives in partnership with the private sector

9. Actively intervene and prevent incidents related to cyber security

10. Provision of necessary technical support for digital forensic investigations

11. Establishment of Technology Parks

12. Matters relating to expansion of digital technology ventures.

13. Enforcing standards and matters related to administration

14. Registration of persons

15. Matters relating to Immigration and Emigration

16. Promotion of economic potential in Sri Lanka and thereby promote foreign direct investment and private sector investment

17. Formulation of policies, strategies, programmes and projects to enhance regional trade and investment cooperation.

18. Promotion, regulation and monitoring of economic development zones

19. All other subjects that come under the purview of Institutions listed under the Minister of Technology and Investment Promotion

20. Supervision of all Institutions listed under the Minister of Technology and Investment Promotion.