SL speeds up digital drive with GovPay expansion

• GovPay platform processes Rs. 65.6 m 
• via 7,024 digital transactions with 52 institutions integrated, including universities and hospitals since launch in February; tourism services next
• Aims to get over 150 State institutions on board by September to boost public sector digital payments
• Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne says Govt. targets cashless service model as part of broader digitalisation plan
• Chief Adviser to the President on Digital Economy and ICTA Chairperson Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya asserts expanding number of institutions in GovPay crucial to unlock network effects
• ICTA Board Member   Harsha Purasinghe outlines platform aims for Rs. 1 b annual transaction value by 2026 and Rs. 1 t within four years
• LankaPay CEO Channa de Silva highlights cost savings, with digitalisation projected to save 0.6% of GDP
• Plans to introduce card payments from next month to enable broader user access

By Charumini de Silva

The Government yesterday said it is ramping up efforts to drive digital transformation in the public service, with plans to onboard over 150 State organisations onto the GovPay platform by September 2025.

The move, spearheaded by the Digital Economy Ministry and Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), comes as the platform got on board 52 institutions and crossed Rs. 65.62 million in digital payments via 7,024 seamless transactions since its launch on 7 February 2025.

Speaking to the media, Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eng. Eranga Weeraratne underscored that digitalisation is a top priority of the Government, with digital payments at its core. “A cashless society is a key milestone we intend to achieve,” he said, adding that digitising Government services is not only about technological advancement, but also about ensuring efficiency, transparency, and economic empowerment.

“By digitising payments, we are making public services more accessible, while empowering citizens to actively participate in the economy,” Weeraratne said.

He highlighted that digital payments and its records help build credit scores, facilitating access to microcredit for startups and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which is an important step towards financial inclusion.

Chief Adviser to the President on Digital Economy and ICTA Chairperson Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya said GovPay forms a key part of the Digital Economy Blueprint, which includes robust infrastructure layers such as broadband, cloud computing, and digital public infrastructure (DPI).

He outlined plans to ensure high-quality broadband coverage for citizens and institutions within the next three to five years, supported by a hybrid cloud strategy that integrates local and global cloud services. 

“The goal is to create a cashless and presence-less payment experience across Government services,” he added.

Dr. Wijayasuriya asserted that expanding the number of institutions in GovPay is crucial to unlock the network effects that will benefit both consumers and the public sector.

Digital Economy Ministry Acting Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala said the initiative is designed to bring over 80% of citizens who have formal bank accounts to use the digital payments system, while boosting financial literacy.

ICTA Board Member Harsha Purasinghe noted that over 50 institutions have already integrated with GovPay and the aim is to scale this to 150 by September, with strong demand from State agencies, including Sri Lanka Tourism, which is keen to digitise licence issuances and other services.

Acknowledging the early teething issues regarding differing bank formats, he assured that work is underway with financial institutions to standardise the process and ensure a user-friendly experience.

He also disclosed ambitious targets of Rs. 1 billion in annual transaction value by 2026 and eventually Rs. 1 trillion within four years, contributing an estimated $ 3 billion in economic impact.

“With its growing adoption, GovPay is poised to become a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s digitalisation vision and its broader ambition of building a $ 15 billion economy by 2030,”  Purasinghe added.

According to him, the top performing institutions on GovPay to-date include the University of Moratuwa, Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), the Department of Technical Education and Training, and the Apeksha Cancer Hospital.

LankaPay CEO Channa de Silva asserted that the GovPay platform leverages existing real-time payment infrastructure, which processed Rs. 1.8 trillion through 18 million transactions, observed just last month.

He highlighted the cost benefits of digitalisation, noting that cash handling expenses account for about 1.5% of GDP. “Transitioning to digital payments could save up to 0.6% of GDP, which is a substantial economic efficiency gain,” he pointed out.

Noting that GovPay currently supports account-based payments, de Silva disclosed that discussions are underway with financial institutions to introduce card payments by next month. “This upgrade will allow both domestic and overseas users to pay via credit or debit cards, expanding accessibility further,” he added.

When asked if there were any plans of bringing down the transaction cost to expand the number of users, the Deputy Minister said that GovPay has already reduced it, with the convenience fee for bank transfers lowered from Rs. 50 to Rs. 15, making the platform even more affordable for users.

GovPay is already integrated with a broad range of financial institutions, including Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank, Commercial Bank, Sampath Bank, Hatton National Bank, Seylan, National Development Bank, National Savings Bank, and others, along with popular fintech apps such as FriMi, Genie, CIM, Helakuru, and WEBXPAY.

Dr. Hans details digital blueprint rollout

• Confirms Lanka Government Cloud is key pillar, with one phase now in procurement and plans to implement hybrid cloud model, combining local cloud providers and global hyperscalers
• Cites broadband expansion a top priority, with goal to provide high-speed internet to all citizens and public institutions within next 3-5 years
• Says digital ID system to be ready by Q1 2026 , followed by nationwide population registration
• Notes core components of DPI in progress; sandbox environments and APIs will be made available for developers, with proof-of-concept projects to follow

Chief Adviser to the President on Digital Economy and Information Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) Chairperson Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya yesterday updated on key areas of progress in the rollout of the national digital economy blueprint.

Speaking to the media, he confirmed that the country is accelerating its digital transformation with the implementation of key components under the blueprint, asserting that the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC) forms a central part of the impending plan.

“One phase of the LGC’s expansion is currently in the procurement stage and the Government is planning to subsequently implement a hybrid cloud infrastructure, integrating domestic cloud providers with leading hyperscale platforms,” he said responding to queries posed by journalists.

Dr. Wijayasuriya also noted that a critical pillar of the strategy is broadband expansion. “The goal over the next three to five years is to provide high-quality broadband access to every citizen, State agency, and public institution,” he added.

In terms of digital public infrastructure (DPI), he said several core components are already progressing. “The Digital ID system is expected to be ready by around February or March 2026. Following this, the population registration process will begin, covering the entire citizen base. With close to the entire population needing to be registered, the timeline will depend on how efficiently the rollout proceeds,” he disclosed.

Dr. Wijayasuriya also noted that these will serve as sandbox platforms for the development community and industry stakeholders, enabling them to interact with the DPI elements and begin building applications using the relevant application programing interfaces (APIs). “There will be a series of proof-of-concept initiatives for various infrastructure blocks,” he added. 

Traffic spot fine payment system to go live in September: ICTA.

• ICTA Board Member   Harsha Purasinghe confirms pilot rollout begins month end, covering Police stations in Western and Southern Provinces
• Says second phase to introduce e-charge sheets, advanced devices for Police with integration into ‘D-mail’ system for real-time vehicle verification

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) yesterday announced that the public across the country will be able to pay traffic spot fines issued by the Police digitally through the GovPay platform, with full implementation expected by September 2025.

Speaking at a media briefing, ICTA Board Member Harsha Purasinghe said the pilot phase will be rolled out by the end of this month, covering Police stations in the Western and Southern Provinces. 

“We hope to extend the first phase rapidly to cover all Police stations countrywide by September,” he said, adding that the Cabinet of Ministers also approved the process.

Purasinghe noted that all Police officers will be issued a basic feature phone during the first phase. 

He said in the second phase expected next year, the system will be further digitised. According to him, charge sheets will be generated electronically and Police officers will be equipped with more advanced devices. This upgrade will integrate with the national ‘D-mail’ system for real-time vehicle verification as well.

The GovPay system, which was initially launched without a supporting mobile application, is now ready and people can make traffic fine payments using their preferred bank through the system. 

Purasinghe also noted that the Police App is expected to become one of the first use cases for the upcoming digital ID system. “Police officers will be among the first to enrol, authenticate, and use the service, making it a prime demonstration of system capability,” he said.