Sri Lanka allocates Rs. 1 million to local offices for digital upgrade

Sri Lanka’s government has allocated Rs. 1 million each to every District Secretariat and Divisional Secretariat across the country under the ‘Praja Shakthi’ national programme to strengthen information technology systems and skills.​

According to the President’s Office, the funding will be used to procure laptops, computers and other IT services, as well as to build the digital capacity of officers as part of a wider drive to modernise the public service and improve service delivery.​

Officials say the administration aims to replace outdated, paper-based procedures with digital platforms and to extend these reforms across the island instead of limiting them to Colombo.​

Working with the Ministry of Digital Economy, the Praja Shakthi programme has earmarked a total of Rs. 369 million to upgrade district and regional administrative mechanisms, in what the government describes as the first direct allocation for regional IT capability development.​

The government has indicated it plans to step up direct investment in digital infrastructure in public institutions in future budgets, with regular annual funding to expand the use of information technology in state agencies.​

Management tasks for Praja Shakthi projects – such as identifying suitable development proposals and monitoring their progress – will be handled through a newly launched digital platform, which authorities say will make rural and regional development programmes more efficient and more transparent for the public.