February 15, 2023, Colombo: In an effort to make payment processes in public sector institutions convenient, the Technology Ministry has called on its officials to take immediate measures to make electronic payment facilities mandatory, a proposal made in the 2023 budget.
The decision was taken by the State Minister of Technology, Kanaka Herath, at the monthly progress review meeting. Presently, government institutions facilitate cash transactions by issuing handwritten receipts, which asserts the need for electronic payment facilities. The Technology Ministry acknowledged that many government institutions lack the technical facilities needed for the public to make electronic payments using digital technology.
Despite technological advancements in the private sector in this regard, government institutions still need to embrace the developments. Technical guidance to state institutions in implementing electronic payments will be extended from July.
The ministry aims to launch the initiative by September 2023 officially and to fully implement it across all government institutions by March 1, 2024. A committee of high-level representatives from key government organizations, including the Finance Ministry, Technology Ministry, and the Public Administration Ministry, has been established to oversee this initiative.
