Tracking delivery on manifesto promises

Establish a national e-mobility secretariat to develop a national EV charging network by 2025.

Why this status: Partly delivered, after the stated deadline. PUCSL introduced a mandatory regulatory framework for EV-charging service providers in January 2026, advancing the charging ecosystem. However, no official evidence found establishes the promised national e-mobility secretariat or a completed national EV-charging network by 2025.

Implement a collateral-free loan scheme of up to Rs. 10 million for micro, small, and medium-scale entrepreneurs.

Why this status: Government-backed collateral-free MSME credit is operating through the National Credit Guarantee Institution, with more than Rs. 4.027 billion granted by 2025. However, the public evidence does not verify the promised scheme’s specific availability of loans up to Rs. 10 million per entrepreneur.

Establish a technical task force with specialist knowledge in Information Technology (IT), Big Data, Machine Learning, AI, Communication & Networking, and social media to encourage local entrepreneurs.

Why this status: The government says it established a 30-member Digital Task Force, and separately budgeted a Start-Up Fund with AI, cloud and digital-infrastructure support. But the recorded task force is under education reforms, and the public source does not demonstrate the full promised specialist composition or a direct mandate to encourage local entrepreneurs. This is partial rather than full delivery.

Establish necessary systems, mechanisms, and tools to integrate the elderly community and people with disabilities into the national workforce.

Why this status: The government has launched a disability employment matching programme with employer participation and a 50% wage subsidy for up to 24 months. This is a concrete workforce-integration mechanism for persons with disabilities. However, no comparable national mechanism is evidenced for integrating older people into the workforce, so the combined pledge is only partly delivered.

Increase the accuracy of methods to identify fish-rich areas, use solar and LNG-powered vessels, provide larger vessels with storage facilities, and modernize vessels and fishing equipment.

Why this status: One defined part is funded: the 2026 Budget allocates Rs. 100 million for a satellite-based system to identify fish grounds and communicate that information to fishers. That directly advances the promise's fish-area identification element. The official evidence does not show solar/LNG vessels, larger cold-storage vessels, or broad equipment modernization, so the overall multi-part pledge is only partially delivered.

Establish 1,000 export villages.

Why this status: An official Gazette assigns establishment of export villages for small plantation crops, but it does not establish the manifesto’s specific target of 1,000 villages. This is a partial match.

Strengthen anti-dumping laws, introduce new fair-trading laws, and update existing regulations.

Why this status: The anti-dumping and regulatory-update parts have moved beyond an announcement: 2025 regulations set procedures for initiating anti-dumping investigations and price undertakings, and Cabinet approved their submission to Parliament to protect local industries from dumped or subsidized imports. But no official evidence found shows a new fair-trading law being introduced or enacted. The pledge therefore has a substantive delivered component, but not its full legislative package.

Amend the import policy by considering the importance of the protection of local production, assurance of food security, ease of accessing raw materials for production, priority for essential goods and investment goods and competitive access to imports.

Why this status: There is material but incomplete delivery. The Government introduced a 2026 tariff schedule with national levies effective from 1 April 2026, following the budget proposal to move Customs Import Duty bands to 0%, 10%, 20% and 30% and phase out para-tariffs. This is a real import-policy change relevant to access to production inputs and trade competitiveness. However, the available official sources do not demonstrate a complete policy that has delivered each stated objective—protection of local production, food security, priority treatment for essential and investment goods—so the full pledge cannot be rated kept.

Provide the public with access to comprehensive information on the operations of SOEs to ensure transparency.

Why this status: Partly delivered. The Finance Ministry provides a public portal of annual reports and financial statements for 52 key SOEs, with many 2025 records now available. This materially improves public access to financial information, but it does not yet demonstrate comprehensive operational information for the full SOE sector.

Introduce new savings and investment plans, including expatriate Bonds for Sri Lankans living abroad.

Why this status: Partly delivered. The 2026 Budget introduced a contributory pension scheme and a concessional housing-loan scheme for migrant workers, creating new financial products for Sri Lankans abroad. However, the reviewed Budget does not introduce the specifically promised expatriate bond, so the wider pledge is not fully delivered.

Establish a new ‘relief bank’ to restore the economic activities of MSMEs and provide relief for outstanding loans.

Why this status: The Central Bank and Finance Ministry have implemented SME debt-relief and recovery loan measures, including concessional lending and a new umbrella MSME framework. However, no new dedicated relief bank has been established, so the pledge is only partly met through alternative mechanisms.

Simplify the complex tariff structure to increase customs revenue on a fair basis.

Why this status: The tariff structure has been materially simplified: the 2026 Budget moved the Customs Import Duty bands from 0%, 15% and 20% to 0%, 10%, 20% and 30%, while the 2026 Customs guide records applicable national levies from 1 April 2026. This meets the structural-change part of the pledge. The available official evidence does not yet show that the reform has increased customs revenue or demonstrably achieved the promised fairness outcome, so it is not rated fully kept.

Introduce Point of Sales (POS) systems and digital invoicing to streamline VAT collection.

Why this status: Partly delivered. The Inland Revenue Department introduced a legally binding revised VAT invoice format from July 2026, including API-based reporting to strengthen digital tax administration. That advances digital invoicing, but the evidence does not establish the separate Point-of-Sale rollout promised for VAT collection.

Increase the annual tax threshold for individual income tax from Rs. 1.2 million to Rs. 2.4 million and revise the tax rates and tax brackets on a fair basis.

Why this status: Partly delivered. The 2025 Inland Revenue amendment increased personal relief from Rs. 1.2 million to Rs. 1.8 million and revised income-tax bands from April 2025, but it did not reach the Rs. 2.4 million annual threshold promised in the manifesto.

Establish a 24-hour confidential counseling service and a Youth App and hotline number to prevent suicide and address mental health issues.

Why this status: The 24/7 confidential hotline component exists and is being maintained: the Ministry describes 1926 as a confidential, toll-free, 24/7 National Mental Health Helpline, and its 2025 progress report records staff training on the service. But it was launched in 2022 and extended nationwide in 2023—before this administration—so it should not be portrayed as newly established in fulfilment of this promise. No official evidence was found of the promised Youth App. The outcome is partial, with a clear attribution and missing-feature caveat.

Implement educational reforms in line with international standards aimed at fostering life skills and knowledge in a child-friendly educational environment.

Why this status: Partly delivered. A new student-centred, future-skills curriculum was officially launched for Grade 1 in 2026, replacing an examination-centred approach and including STEM, environmental activity, English and second-language learning. The reforms have not yet reached all grades, so a system-wide child-friendly education reform is incomplete.

Establish a national salary structure that minimizes wage disparities and motivates employees.

Why this status: The government implemented a staged public-sector salary revision and legislated substantial private-sector minimum-wage increases. These measures address wages and some disparities, but no evidence shows a unified national salary structure that minimizes wage disparities across all workers as promised.

Provide financial support for nutritious food packages during pregnancy and the first year of childbirth for low-income families.

Why this status: Partly delivered. The 2026 Budget funds continued nutrition assistance for pregnant and lactating mothers and says coverage will be widened. The reviewed evidence does not establish the promised low-income targeting, food-package form, or complete coverage through the first year after birth.

Provide a minimum monthly financial grant of Rs. 10,000 to persons with chronic illnesses on a needs basis.

Why this status: Partly delivered. A Rs. 10,000 monthly allowance is in place for low-income patients with chronic kidney disease, but the available official evidence does not establish the promised support across the wider category of persons with chronic illnesses.

Calculate minimum requirements for water storage and introduce methods for replenishing surface and underground water resources.

Why this status: The National Water Resources Policy provides for integrated water conservation and recharge measures, including preventing over-extraction and implementing water recharge. However, no public evidence was found that minimum water-storage requirements have been calculated and introduced as the pledge specifies.

Organize grants and provide tax relief for theatre production and exhibition.

Why this status: Cabinet approved a Rs. 50 million 2026 allocation for projects promoting drama, performing arts and literature at national and regional level, including support for new drama productions and performances and facilities around cinema clusters. This is direct public support for theatre and related arts, but the promise also requires tax relief and the evidence does not show a dedicated tax-exemption package or full production-and-exhibition grant scheme.

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 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.