The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to procure 600 new Deluxe‑model, air‑conditioned buses for the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), replacing an earlier plan to purchase standard‑model vehicles.

The project, part of the government’s 2026 investment programme, carries a budgetary allocation of Rs. 14,400 million. Initially, the funds were earmarked for 49–54‑seater standard buses. 

However, under the Road Safety Plan 2025–2026, authorities identified the need for safer and more comfortable vehicles for intercity and long‑distance services.

Accordingly, specifications prepared for passenger transport recommended the deployment of Deluxe‑model buses for these routes. 

Acting on that guidance, the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development presented the revised proposal, which has now received Cabinet approval. 

In a bid for the commercialisation of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm, Trinco Petroleum Terminal Ltd (TPTL) is planning to go for international bidding for the development of 29 tanks out of 61 tanks in its possession.

A joint venture company, Trinco Petroleum Terminal Ltd (TPTL), was created in 2021. In it, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation holds 51 per cent and Lanka IOC (a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation) holds 49 per cent. The agreement covers 61 tanks out of 99 for joint development. When Indian Prime Minister Modi visited Sri Lanka last year, a tripartite agreement was signed among India, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to develop a multipurpose pipeline connecting the two countries for two-way energy supplies.

In the wake of the West Asian or Middle East crisis, Sri Lanka and India have recognised the need for the expeditious implementation of the Trincomalee petroleum hub project for energy security, but no specific timeline has been carved out yet.

An informed source said that the company would announce a Request for Proposals (RFP) within a month for the development of these tanks. The Cabinet Appointed Negotiation Committee (CANC) has approved the project for inviting bids for investors to develop the project. Once the project is evaluated by the company, it will be referred back to the CANC to make the final decision.

Trincomalee has been identified as a nodal point of cooperation between India and Sri Lanka in the field of energy security. The 1987 Indo–Sri Lanka Accord marked the first formal reference to Indian involvement in the development of the Trincomalee oil tank farm.

Sri Lanka aims to increase the average spending by foreign tourists by improving the quality of tourism experiences, Deputy Tourism Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe said.

Speaking at a media briefing, the Deputy Minister said the average tourist visiting Sri Lanka currently spends around US$148 per day, based on available survey data.

He noted that the figure is an estimate, as Sri Lanka does not have advanced systems to accurately track tourist expenditure, such as using credit card and banking data, unlike countries such as Australia.

Ranasinghe said the Government’s target is to increase the average spending per tourist by 2030, as this would generate greater economic benefits for the country.

He stressed that achieving this goal would require improving Sri Lanka’s tourism product and offering higher-quality visitor experiences.

“A tourist spends more when the experience is of higher quality. Increasing spending will not happen automatically. We need proper planning, create more activities for visitors and attract more tourists to achieve our revenue targets,” he said.