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’s Consumer Affairs Authority has introduced mandatory labeling requirements for all covered categories of soap, requiring businesses to disclose the product name and its Total Fatty Matter, or TFM, percentage on the packaging.

The requirements are contained in Direction No. 100, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2496/39 dated July 10, 2026. The direction, issued under Section 10(1)(a) of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, No. 9 of 2003, will take effect on July 9, 2027.

The measure follows the introduction of numerous soap brands into the domestic market and concerns that some of these brands do not disclose their ingredients or the correct TFM content. While several long-established brands already provide the relevant information, concerns have been raised that some products do not display all prescribed details in the proper manner or disclose all ingredients.

Under this direction, importers, manufacturers, store owners, distributors and traders will not be permitted to import, manufacture, store, distribute, sell, display or offer the covered products for sale unless the required information is printed on the package or label.

The gazette says, “Name of the product as specified in the schedule shall be printed in bold type in all three languages of Sinhala, Tamil and English or, in two of those three languages on the main panel and the other language on any panel.”

It also says, “Total Fatty Matter (TFM) percentage by mass shall be printed on the product label clearly and conspicuously in a bold font size of not less than 2 millimeters (2mm) when packed.”

The gazette schedule lists the covered products as “Baby Soap,” “Toilet Soap,” “Shaving Soap,” “Carbolic Soap,” “Laundry Soap,” “Bathing Bar” and “Soft Soap.” Their respective standards are SLS 547, SLS 34, SLS 36, SLS 35, SLS 554, SLS 1220 and SLS 37. The direction was issued by order of the Consumer Affairs Authority and signed by S. M. D. Suriyakumara, Chairman (Acting).