An extraordinary gazette was issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Tuesday midnight detailing the duties and functions of ministries by scientifically assigning institutes to each of them. Sri Lanka Police, which was under the Law and Order Ministry during the previous government, has been brought under the Defence Ministry.

Furthermore, State banks which were excluded from the Finance Ministry by the previous regime have been assigned to the Finance Ministry together with related institutions. The National Lotteries Board (NLB) and Development Lotteries Board (DLB) have also been assigned to the Finance and Economic Policy Development Ministry which is under the premier.

Other changes in the gazette include assigning of the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) to the Finance Ministry and Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) to the Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Ministry.

Meanwhile, the Departments of Attorney General and Legal Draftsman have been placed under the Justice, Human Rights and Law Reforms Ministry.

In total, 31 State institutions have been placed under the Defence Ministry, 48 under the Finance, Economic and Policy Development Ministry and 23 under the Buddha Sasana, Cultural and Religious Affairs Ministry. Furthermore, 17 institutions have been placed under the Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Ministry. Accordingly, 88 institutions come under the Prime Minister.

On the one hand, the Justice, Human Rights and Law Reforms Ministry has been assigned with 20 institutions and on the other, the Community Enforcement and Estate Infrastructure Development Ministry was assigned with six institutions. The Skills Development, Employment and Labour Relations Ministry had been assigned with 19 institutions.

Some 14 institutions are under the Women and Child Affairs and Social Protection Ministry while 28 institutions are under the Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry.

The Information and Communication Technology Ministry has been given 16 institutions while the Higher Education and Innovation Ministry has been given 28.

Meanwhile, the Mahaweli, Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry had been given 26 institutions and 11 are under the Internal Trade Affairs, Food Security and Consumer Welfare Ministry.

In addition to the police and tri-forces, the Civil Security Force, Immigration and Emigration Department and Departments of Registration of Persons, Meteorology and Disaster Management Centre come under the Defence Ministry.

The Treasury and Departments of Foreign Resources, Inland Revenue, Sri Lanka Customs, Excise, Central Bank of Sri Lanka and all State banks have been allocated to the Finance and Economic Policy Development Ministry.

The Health Services Department, Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, Vijaya Kumaratunga Hospital and all other State hospitals come under the Health and Indigenous Medical Services Ministry.

Sri Lanka Telecom, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, ITN, Associated Newspapers Company and the Government Printing Department come under the purview of the Information and Communication Technology Ministry. (Ranjan Kasturi)