President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, initiated the presentation of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2027 to Parliament today (12).
The government proposes to establish a ‘Centre of Excellence’ on Wijerama Mawatha, aimed at boosting the digital economy and promoting the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Furthermore, the government has proposed providing broadband vouchers to 750,000 selected students, with the objective of enhancing the digital literacy of school students.
The President also stated that steps are being taken to establish a new authority to accelerate the country’s digital transformation process.
Meanwhile, a five-year tax relief has been granted for the construction of new communication towers; there is a requirement to construct between 700 and 800 such towers to expand high-speed broadband internet coverage by the year 2030.