Tracking delivery on manifesto promises

Reform the National Film Corporation and establish a National Film Institute.

Why this status: Cabinet approved instructions to draft a Bill repealing the National Film Corporation Act and creating a National Cinema Council with modern regulatory and cinema-promotion functions. That is substantial, official progress on reforming the Corporation, but the Bill is not yet an enacted reform and the evidence does not show a National Film Institute has been established.

Establish a research fund for the literary arts sector and organize annual international research sessions.

Why this status: The government adopted an official cultural policy or ministerial function that repeats this commitment as a key activity. This is evidence of a live implementation direction, but the source does not prove nationwide completion, so the promise remains in the works.

Establish well-developed libraries in every city and suburb to cultivate an active reading community.

Why this status: The government adopted an official cultural policy or ministerial function that repeats this commitment as a key activity. This is evidence of a live implementation direction, but the source does not prove nationwide completion, so the promise remains in the works.

Create a database and comprehensive plan to make physical resources like conference halls, theaters, and open-air stages available to the arts sectors.

Why this status: The government adopted an official cultural policy or ministerial function that repeats this commitment as a key activity. This is evidence of a live implementation direction, but the source does not prove nationwide completion, so the promise remains in the works.

Establish a social security system for the well-being of retired art practitioners.

Why this status: The Department of Cultural Affairs operates a contributory pension scheme for artistes, with a state contribution and benefits payable at retirement. However, the Department states that the scheme commenced under the 2016 Budget, well before the NPP government, and it is not evidence of a new social-security system introduced for retired art practitioners during this term. The existing scheme partially serves the pledge but should not be credited as new delivery.

Provide tax exemptions to various art sectors on selected materials and equipment, such as paper.

Why this status: The government adopted an official cultural policy or ministerial function that repeats this commitment as a key activity. This is evidence of a live implementation direction, but the source does not prove nationwide completion, so the promise remains in the works.

Establish cultural zones in every major city, complete with institutions for arts and culture.

Why this status: The government adopted an official cultural policy or ministerial function that repeats this commitment as a key activity. This is evidence of a live implementation direction, but the source does not prove nationwide completion, so the promise remains in the works.

Provide scholarships to eligible individuals for international training in all fields of art.

Why this status: Official India–Sri Lanka scholarship information identifies dedicated ICCR scholarships for Sri Lankan students and practitioners in classical music, dance, visual arts, theatre, painting and fine arts, coordinated in Colombo with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education. This provides real international arts-training opportunities, but the evidence does not show a Sri Lankan-government-funded scholarship programme covering all art fields or the full eligibility and scale promised.

Establish a 'National Fund' for literature, cinema, drama, and other arts, supported continuously by government and private sector.

Why this status: The Central Cultural Fund already provides financial assistance to artistes, and Cabinet gave policy approval in March 2026 to amend its governing Act to suit present needs. The 2025 cultural budget also lists Rs. 52 million for assistance to artists. These measures provide public arts support, but they do not establish the promised continuously supported national fund backed by both government and the private sector.

Developing specialized programs at the school and district levels to provide economic support, nutrition, and training for athletes with exceptional skills.

Why this status: The 2025 Budget increased the nutrition allowance for sports students and funded specialised sports schools in five provinces. This delivers economic and nutrition support in schools, but does not verify district-level coverage or a comprehensive programme for all athletes with exceptional skills.

Implementing programs to provide official residences for government employees close to their workplaces.

Why this status: The 2026 Budget proposes relocating government quarters in Ratnapura's old town to the new town area, with Rs. 500 million allocated and the stated aim of meeting long-term residential needs. This is a concrete government-residence project near an urban service centre, but it is localized and does not demonstrate a programme providing official residences close to workplaces nationwide.

Regulate all health services, including private medical services, to ensure the delivery of high-quality healthcare to patients.

Why this status: The Health Ministry’s 2025 action plan includes strengthening private-health regulation, updated guidelines, a grading system for private medical institutions, accreditation, and worker qualification standards. These are substantial implementation steps, but the documentation is a plan and does not prove that all health services are already effectively regulated.

Increase the treatment capacity of Ayurvedic hospitals, including the number of available beds.

Why this status: The Department of Ayurveda's current official site lists national competitive procurement for hospital equipment for the Borella Ayurveda National Hospital and continuing hospital-related development activity. This is a concrete capacity-building step, but the available record does not quantify new beds or show that treatment capacity has been increased across Ayurvedic hospitals.

Implement special oral health promotion programs aimed at reducing Early Childhood Caries (ECC) among preschool children.

Why this status: The Ministry of Health's Annual Health Bulletin 2024 records a national prevention-and-management initiative for early childhood caries, alongside programmes for pregnant mothers and schoolchildren. This shows the relevant oral-health programme is being delivered, but the bulletin does not provide an outcome measure showing a reduction in ECC among preschool children or establish that the programme was newly expanded to fulfil the pledge.

Provide home-based and institution-based palliative care services for patients with incurable diseases, including cancer and stroke.

Why this status: Sri Lanka now lists a National Policy on Palliative Care for 2025–2030, and the National Cancer Control Programme coordinates hospital, community, hospice and home-based care. This is a substantial service and policy foundation, but the evidence does not establish universal coverage for all people with incurable cancer and stroke.

Provide community-based rehabilitation services, either within the patients’ own environment or in specialized centers.

Why this status: The Ministry of Health's 2025 Annual Action Plan funds community-based rehabilitation for people with leprosy-related disabilities, including planned provision of rehabilitative support. This is a concrete but disease-specific component of the broader pledge; the source does not show universal community-based rehabilitation or a network of specialised centres for all patients.

Implement programs to promote mental health among children and adolescents, focusing on preventing substance abuse and violence.

Why this status: The government has delivered school and youth programmes on mental well-being, counselling, screening and drug prevention. However, the cited progress record does not substantiate the pledge’s specific violence-prevention component, so this is assessed as partial delivery.

Establish a mechanism for early detection of mental health disorders and referral for specialized care.

Why this status: The 2025 action-plan report documents early-detection, referral-care and suicide-prevention programmes for schoolchildren, including reported delivery to beneficiaries. That is direct implementation of the promised pathway, though it does not yet establish a universal national mechanism.

Establish government-owned pharmacies in every town.

Why this status: The State Pharmaceuticals Corporation has continued a government programme to expand Rajya Osusala branches: its 64th branch opened in Kiribathgoda in April 2025, and its 67th branch opened in Batticaloa in October 2025. This is strong evidence of active expansion of government-owned pharmacies, but the official outlet list does not establish a branch in every town.

Ensure the continuous supply of all essential medicines to public health institutions.

Why this status: The objective remains unmet. In July 2025, Health Ministry officials told a parliamentary oversight committee that shortages had arisen, with only 80–90% of essential items expected to be available by year-end; this falls short of continuous supply of all essential medicines. Cabinet has since approved a 2026–2030 medicinal-drug policy to address access, quality and supply-chain challenges, but that is a response in progress rather than proof the continuity problem has been resolved.

Establish an efficient pharmaceutical testing laboratory to ensure drug safety.

Why this status: The National Medicines Regulatory Authority currently operates a National Medicines Quality Assurance Laboratory that tests medicines and related products for quality, safety and efficacy. This substantially covers the function described in the pledge, but the laboratory predates the manifesto and the available evidence does not show that this government established or materially upgraded a new efficient pharmaceutical testing laboratory. The promise is therefore only partially creditable as a new delivery.

Establish a service feedback unit to investigate complaints from patients and caregivers independently.

Why this status: The Ministry's Directorate of Healthcare Quality and Safety states that the ‘Friends of Health Services’ model is being implemented and that hospitals collect and review patient experience, satisfaction-survey and suggestion-box feedback. This is evidence of an active feedback mechanism, but not that an independent unit with a mandate to investigate all complaints has been established.

Introduce a patient charter to ensure accountability of health workers and protect patients’ rights.

Why this status: The Ministry of Health publishes a Citizen Charter dated 5 February 2024, before the NPP government took office. A patient-rights/accountability document therefore exists, but the available official evidence does not show that this government introduced a new patient charter or strengthened the existing one. It should not be credited as a newly fulfilled pledge.

Certify all laboratory tests and procedures in government health institutions according to ISO standards and provide 24/7 phone access to medical professionals and nurses.

Why this status: The official health policy repeats the ISO-certification component for laboratory tests and procedures, but does not include the manifesto’s separate 24/7 phone-access requirement for medical professionals and nurses. This is a partial match.

Establish daily treatment centers in every hospital.

Why this status: The official health policy commits to establishing daily treatment (day surgery) centres in every hospital. The policy demonstrates an active direction, not completed nationwide delivery.