Sri Lanka: President Dissanayake Forms 21-Member Cabinet, Appoints Harini Amarasuriya As Prime Minister

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Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday sworn in a new 21-member Cabinet, following landslide win for his party in the recent parliamentary elections.
Dissanayake will directly oversee key ministries, including Defence, Finance, Planning, and Digital Economy. Harini Amarasuriya was appointed as the Prime Minister of the new government.

Sharing a post on X, Dissanayake wrote, "This morning, at the Presidential Secretariat, I had the honour of swearing in the new Cabinet of the National People's Power (NPP) government. The Cabinet is made up of 21 members, with the Ministries of Defence, Finance, Planning, and Digital Economy coming under my direct responsibility."
He added, "I am pleased to announce that Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has been sworn in as the Prime Minister of the new government."

Unveiling the full list of Cabinet ministers, Dissanayake announced Harini Amarasuriya as the Prime Minister, who will also be the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. 

Vijitha Herath has been announced as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism; Chandana Abeyratne as Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, Local Government; Attorney Harshana Nanayakkara as Minister of Justice, and National Integration; Saroja Savithri Paulraj as Minister of Women and Child Affairs and KD Lal Kantha as Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Livestock and Irrigation.

Additionally, Anura Karunathilake has been named the Minister of Urban Development, Construction and Housing; Ramalingam Chandrasekar as Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources; Prof. Upali Pannilage as Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment; Sunil Handunneththi as Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development; Ananda Wijepala as Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs; Bimal Rathnayake as Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation.

Dissanayake also announced Hiniduma Sunil Senevi as Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs; Nalinda Jayathissa as Minister of Health and Media; Samantha Vidyarathna as Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure; Sunil Kumara Gamage as Minister Youth Affairs and Sports; Wasantha Samarasinghe as Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development; Chrishantha Abeysena as Minister of Science and Technology; Anil Jayantha Fernando as Minister of Labour; Kumara Jayakody as Minister of Energy; and Dhammika Patabendi as Minister of Environment.

In the recently concluded elections, President Dissanayake's leftist coalition registered a landslide victory, according to official results announced by the country's election commission.

Dissanayake needed a clear majority to fulfil his promises and his NPP coalition secured a two-thirds majority in the 225-member parliament, winning 159 seats, whereas opposition leader Premadasa's party won 35 seats.

Dissanayake won the presidential elections held in September this year. With his coalition holding just three seats in the outgoing parliament, the 55-year-old leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) called snap legislative elections in search of a new mandate.

The parliamentary poll mandate enables Dissanayake to ease punishing austerity measures in crisis-stricken Sri Lanka.