A tender for 500,000 machine-readable passports (MRPs) is to be floated in coming days, authoritative sources said, adding that a committee is now drafting the relevant documents.
Meanwhile, the number of passports released daily has been raised to between 2,500 and 2,700 from the previous per-day cap of between 1,500 and 1,800. They include issuances via one-day and normal service, overseas missions and the Department of Immigration and Emigration’s (DIE) four branches.
The quota—which is necessary to stretch current limited stocks as far as possible—was increased on the instructions of the Public Security Ministry. The Sunday Times reported last week that an influx of applications is expected in the coming weeks from candidates aspiring to take the Korean language proficiency test who must furnish passport numbers to qualify to sit.
Read tomorrow's The Sunday Times for full details
Energy Ministry differs on proposed electricity tariff reduction from today.
The newly appointed heads of mission of Sri Lanka held discussions with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya today at the Sri Lankan parliament to explore ways to enhance diplomatic cooperation.
The Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena Organisation Ven Galagodaatte Ganasara Thera was today imprisoned for the third time.
IndiGo has emerged as the leading foreign carrier in Sri Lanka, now operating 54 weekly flights between the island nation and India. The low-cost airline connects Colombo and Jaffna with major Indian cities, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad.
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