In a sweeping reshuffle of government structures, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has issued a new gazette notification transferring the scope, functions, and statutory bodies of several ministries in a move set to redefine Sri Lanka’s administrative and institutional framework.
The changes come in the wake of the latest cabinet reshuffle, with multiple institutions being reassigned under new ministries. Among the most notable shifts, the Department of Civil Security, previously managed by the Ministry of Defense, and the Rehabilitation Bureau, earlier under the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, have now been transferred to the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs.
Another major change involves the Sri Lanka Thriposha Corporation Limited, a key player in child nutrition programs, which has been moved from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development. Meanwhile, Salacine Media Solutions Private Limited, formerly under the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, is now placed under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, reflecting the government’s push to consolidate communication and media functions.
Economic development sectors have also seen significant adjustments. The Geology, Survey and Mines Bureau, once managed by the Ministry of Environment, will now function under the Ministry of Industrial Entrepreneurship Development. Similarly, the Cinnamon Development Department has been shifted from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to the Ministry of Plantations and Community Infrastructure, signaling a stronger focus on export-oriented plantation development.
Energy sector restructuring has been highlighted in the gazette as well. The Ceylon Electricity Company has been reorganized into the Ceylon Electricity Private Company Limited, and four new institutions created under the restructuring of the Electricity Board have been officially published, furthering the government’s plan to modernize and diversify Sri Lanka’s power sector.
The newly defined scopes of ministries introduced in the latest cabinet reshuffle are also included in this notification, providing clarity on their operational boundaries and mandates.
This reallocation of responsibilities reflects the government’s broader strategy to streamline administration, strengthen food and trade security, enhance industrial and plantation development, and push forward restructuring in the critical energy sector. While the changes are designed to improve efficiency and align ministries with national priorities, the real test will lie in how effectively these restructured institutions deliver results in practice.
