President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has issued a special gazette on October 18, 2025, outlining significant changes to ministerial portfolios and institutional responsibilities following the recent Cabinet reshuffle.
The new gazette reassigns several key departments and state entities across multiple ministries, marking one of the most comprehensive administrative restructurings in recent years.
Under the changes:
- Ministry of Defence loses the Civil Security Department (CSD), which has been transferred to the Ministry of Public Security, while the National Hydrology Council and National Hydrology Office have been newly assigned.
- Public Security now oversees the CSD, the Sri Lanka International Arbitration Centre (Guarantee) Ltd, and the Office of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.
- Finance, Economic Development, and Fiscal Management gains control of Hotel Developers (Lanka) Ltd and the Casino Regulatory Authority.
- Power and Energy now includes Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Ltd and its subsidiaries, while its Atomic Energy institutions move to Science and Technology.
- Science and Technology now administers the Atomic Energy Board and Atomic Energy Regulatory Council.
- Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation takes over the Department of Cinnamon Development.
- Health and Media sees Sri Lanka Triposha Ltd transferred out, while it gains several institutions including the State Trading (General) Corporation Ltd, Salasine Media Solutions (Pvt) Ltd, Ayurveda Education and Health Board, and the Sri Lanka Nursing Council.
- Trade, Food Security, and Cooperative Development receives Sri Lanka Triposha Ltd.
- Digital Economy adds the Commission for Online Safety and Colombo Lotus Tower Management Company (Pvt) Ltd.
- Rural Development, Social Security, and Community Empowerment now manages the National Secretariat for NGOs and the Partnership Secretariat for World Food Programme Cooperation.
- Industries and Enterprise Development gains the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau and GSMB Technical Services (Pvt) Ltd.
- A new Ministry of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development has been formed, bringing together 17 key institutions, including the Road Development Authority, Sri Lanka Railways, Urban Development Authority, and the Department of Motor Traffic.
- Ports and Civil Aviation Services now manages Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Lanka Shipping Corporation Ltd, and several key aviation entities, including SriLankan Airlines.
- Housing, Construction, and Water Supply now oversees the National Housing Development Authority, State Engineering Corporation, National Water Supply and Drainage Board, and related agencies.
The reshuffle aims to streamline governance and improve coordination across critical sectors such as infrastructure, energy, trade, and digital development.
