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Petrol and Diesel Market Price vs. Formula Price in June 2025
No full textThis infographic was posted on the Public Finance Platform in English and can be accessed from the link below.Fuel prices remained unchanged in June 2025, with the market price of Octane 92 petrol at LKR 293.00 and auto diesel at LKR 274.00. However, the formula price has dropped for both petrol and diesel.
The market price of petrol now exceeds the formula price by LKR 5.64, breaching the 3% allowable variation* threshold. Over the past four months, petrol prices remained aligned with the formula, but this month’s deviation is driven by a drop in global petrol prices—down by an average of LKR 1.62.
The market price of auto diesel in June 2025 exceeds the formula price by LKR 19.11—marking a further widening of the gap that has persisted over the last three months. This increase is due to the absence of a reduction in the market price, despite a fall in the formula price by LKR 5.56.
For additional information and historical comparisons, visit the Fuel Price Tracker
Petrol and Diesel Market Price vs. Formula Price in April 2025
No full textThis infographic was posted on the Public Finance Platform in English and can be accessed from the link below.In April 2025, the market price of Petrol 92 Octane reduced by LKR 10 aligning itself to the reduction in the cost reflective formula price. The price of Auto Diesel, however, did not reduce even though the formula price for it reduced by LKR 13.
Consequently, the market price of petrol 92 has reduced from LKR 309 to LKR 299 per litre (aligning with the formula price of LKR 297).
At the same time, the market price of Auto Diesel has remained unchanged at LKR 286 per litre since December 2024. It therefore, now misaligned with the formula price calculation for Auto Diesel which is LKR 269.
For further details, including taxes per litre and a comparison of Sri Lanka’s fuel prices with regional countries, visit the Fuel Price Tracker
Clean Sri Lanka වාහන මෙහෙයුම් වලට එරෙහිව පෞද්ගලික බස් හිමියන්ගේ සංගමයේ විරෝධතාවය
No full textThis entry includes a write-up and an infographic (both in Sinhala).On January 5, 2025, several Sinhala TV channels reported on the Clean Sri Lanka initiative and the concerns expressed by Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association Chairman Gemunu Wijeratne regarding the programme. The infographic depicts which TV channels reported the news and the headline used and which TV channels did not report the news as headlines or content. Siyatha TV in the headline mentioned that Gemunu Wijeratne is attempting to incite strikes. Sirasa, Hiru TV, and Swarnavahini noted that Bus Owners' Association is preparing to launch a strike in response to Clean Sri Lanka, Derana TV did not report the news on the headline but reported it in the content, and state-owned media channels Rupavahini and ITN did not report this news
Stealth Reduction of Cigarette Tax Rates
Full text link5p. This article was published in the Daily Mirror on January 27, 2025, also on the VR website and the Public Finance Platform and can be accessed from the links provided below.The tax-in-price for cigarettes in Sri Lanka has reduced dramatically since 2020, falling below both the international benchmark of 75% and past norms in Sri Lanka. It fell to 68.8% for the most sold brand (MSB) and 69.9% for the lowest priced brand (LPB). LKR 9.4 billion in tax revenue was lost in 2024 on the MSB alone and transferred instead as profit to the producer.Team Initiativ
Sri Lanka Electricity Amendment Bill - Voting Breakdown - Second Reading
No full textThis infographic is available in Sinhala and is published on the Manthri.lk Facebook page.On 6 August 2025, Parliament held a vote on the Sri Lanka Electricity (Amendment) Bill during the second reading. The vote was passed with 121 votes in favour and 25 against.
This is a significant bill that replaces the National Electricity Advisory Council with a committee appointed by the Minister, and may also be reducing the independence of the regulator in tariff setting, among several other structural changes.
Refer to the original act: https://www.parliament.lk/uploads/acts/gbills/english/6347.pdf
Refer to the amendment bill: https://documents.gov.lk/view/bills/2025/5/599-2025_E.pdf
to learn more on the amendments
Health: Key NPP manifesto promises
No full textThis infographic was posted on the Public Finance Platform in English, Sinhala, Tamil and can be accessed from the link below.The manifesto stresses the need for accessible, high-quality healthcare services for all citizens without financial hardship. To meet global standards and improve Sri Lanka's health system, substantial reforms are proposed, including strengthening financing, human resources, and infrastructure.
These promises require funding through the national budget to ensure the delivery of efficient and patient-centered healthcare to all.
- Gradually increase government expenditure on health to at least 3% of the GDP within a short period.
- Provide medical expenses coverage and appropriate allowance to employees who meet with accidents during work, until they return to their duties.
- An extended cardiology unit, oncology unit, ophthalmic unit and nephrology unit with facilities in each district/province.
- Establish a service feedback unit to investigate complaints from patients and caregivers independently.
- Establish an efficient pharmaceutical testing laboratory to ensure drug safety.
- Establish government-owned pharmacies in every town.
- Set up Primary Mental Health Care Centres in every Medical Officer of Health (MOH) area.
- Establish rehabilitation centers in every district.
- Establish daily treatment centers in every hospital
Petrol and Diesel Market Price vs. Formula Price in January
No full textThis infographic was posted on the Public Finance Platform in English.On 01 January 2025, the market prices of 92-octane petrol and auto diesel remained unchanged. However, the Public Finance Fuel Price Tracker indicates that both fuel types continue to be priced above their respective formula prices. The current market price of 92-octane petrol is LKR 309.00 per litre, which is LKR 10.15 higher than the formula price, while auto diesel is priced at LKR 286.00 per litre, exceeding the formula price by LKR 15.99. This indicates that despite lower supply costs, the CPC continues to charge a higher price.
A significant portion of fuel prices is driven by government-imposed taxes, including CID, Excise Duty, SSCL, and VAT. As of January 2025, these taxes amount to LKR 119.47 per litre for 92-octane petrol and LKR 93.27 per litre for auto diesel. Excluding these taxes, the underlying cost of selling 92-octane petrol is LKR 179.38 per litre, while auto diesel costs LKR 176.74 per litre. This means that taxes account for nearly 40% of the formula price for 92-octane petrol and approximately 35% of auto diesel.
It is also important to note that, from January 2025 onwards, the Public Finance Fuel Price Tracker has implemented changes to its fuel formula price calculation methodology
Petrol and Diesel Market Price vs. Formula Price in March 2025
No full textThis infographic was posted on the Public Finance Platform in English and can be accessed from the link below.Since December 2024, the market prices of 92-octane petrol and auto diesel have remained at LKR 309 and LKR 286 per litre, respectively, despite fluctuations in formula prices between January 2025 and March 2025.
According to the Public Finance.lk fuel price tracker, the formula price of 92-octane petrol was LKR 298.85 in January 2025, rose to LKR 307.53 in February, and reached LKR 310.14 in March—an overall increase of LKR 11.29 per litre. As a result, where the formula price was LKR 10.15 below the market price in January, it exceeds the market price by LKR 1.14 in March. Currently, the market price falls within a 2% range of the formula price, indicating that market prices are effectively on par with the formula price (see note).
However, the market price of auto diesel, which was LKR 2.14 lower than the formula price in February, is now LKR 4.16 higher. This change is due to a reduction in the formula price from LKR 288.14 in February to LKR 281.84 in March, while the market price remained unchanged. As a result, auto diesel prices also fall within the 2% range, indicating alignment with the formula price
Resolution to Remove IGP Tennakoon - Voting Breakdown
No full textThis infographic is available in English and is published on the Manthri.lk Instagram pageOn 5 August 2025, Parliament held a vote to remove the Inspector-General of Police, Deshabandu Tennakoon, in accordance with Section 17 of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, No. 5 of 2002.
The Resolution was carried with 177 MPs voting in favour, one MP abstained, 33 absent from the vote and 13 absent from Parliament
Infrastructure: Key NPP manifesto promises
No full textThis infographic was posted on the Public Finance Platform in English, Sinhala, Tamil and can be accessed from the link below.The NPP's 2024 Presidential Election manifesto outlines new promises to improve infrastructure development in key sectors, including transportation, telecommunications, postal services, power and energy, and ports, shipping, and aviation.
Here is the full list of such infrastructure related promises:
- Establishing housing loan schemes to support rural home constructions.
- Developing proactive and real-time alert systems to warn against natural disasters
- Expanding research on renewable energy and prioritization of the Akwerala wind power project
- Establishing "Technology Development Centers" in selected districts
- Modernize the Sapugaskanda Refinery
- Construct an international oil transmission and cargo storage terminal in Trincomalee
- Establish an aircraft service and maintenance hub to cater to the aviation requirements of the Asian region.
- Adding 2,000 MW gradually into the national supply using solar power
- Establishing a network of island-wide battery charging centres to charge electric vehicles
- Establishing a special bureau to advise on energy related investments, energy trade, future trends in energy etc.
- Gradually expanding railway lines on a priority basis to cover the regions which are not covered by the railway network at present
- Gradually developing the railway system to have trains run on electricity
- Construction of safe cycling lanes within main cities and from nearby areas
- Provision of cycle parking facilities at main train and bus stations, institutions, and other public places
- Constructing pedestrian lanes.
- A technical unit to research and advise on promotion of waterway transportation
- Increasing the public internet access points.
- Building a centralized backbone network with the transmission network of the electricity board.
- Establishing wi-fi in public places.
- Free access to essential emergency services.
- Allocating annual budget for mass communication in each ministry to the institutions maintained as PSB.
- An electronic system for land registration and digitalizing land reports.
- A special research and development unit for the construction industry