State Minister for Technology Kanaka Herath reaffirmed his commitment to implementing a steadfast digital economic policy that remains consistent across government transitions.
He emphasized that the groundwork for this initiative will commence in the upcoming year, with allocated provisions outlined in the 2024 budget.
State Minister Herath made these remarks during a press conference conducted at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) under the theme “Collective Path to a Stable Country.”
The State Minister additionally revealed plans to organize an international investment workshop next year, aimed at promoting the digital economy in Sri Lanka.
He highlighted that over Rs.02 billion have been allocated in this year’s budget for digitization and Artificial Intelligence (AI), with the aim of allowing the Sri Lankan people to experience the benefits by 2025.
The State Minister further emphasized that, until President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s presidency, terms like digitization and artificial intelligence were infrequently used in the country. He credited the President’s foresight for recognizing the potential of digitization and AI in building the economy, noting that these methods have stabilized economies worldwide.
To propel the country forward in line with the developing world, he stressed the need to provide more opportunities for digitization and AI, aiming to increase the digital economy’s contribution from 3% to 20%. The 2024 budget has allocated funds for this purpose, including financial incentives for new innovations.
The State Minister highlighted that the digitization of public services creates an environment for maintaining an efficient public service, making a significant contribution to economic development.
With the private sector already rapidly adopting digitization, he said the government aims to strengthen the public service to offer competitive services.
The overarching goal of the current government is to build a robust economy through this comprehensive digitization process.
