- The Government of Japan under its annual Non-Project Grant Aid to Sri Lanka, has agreed to provide a grant aid amounting to Japanese Yen 500 million (Approximately Rs.550 million) for the provision of Japanese equipment to promote transport facilities and agricultural activities of the citizens of Sri Lanka, with a view to strengthening the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries. The equipment is to be distributed to the Department of Sri Lanka Railways and the Government Agricultural Institutions under the Ministry of Agriculture. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Prime Minister Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe as the Minister of Policy Planning, Economic Affairs, Child, Youth and Cultural Affairs to sign the Exchange of Notes between the Governments of Japan and Sri Lanka in regard to the above grant, was approved by the Cabinet.