- Facility to fast-track telecom infrastructure development
- Project to run alongside Communication to the Village initiative
- Initiative still in planning stage
The Government is looking to obtain a funding facility from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fast-track the development of telecommunication infrastructure in the country, in parallel with the Communication to the Village initiative already underway.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Ministry of Digital Economy Secretary Waruna Sri Dhanapala revealed that the Government was looking to commence a telecommunication infrastructure development project running alongside the ‘Gamata Sanniwedanaya’ (Communication to the Village) initiative, already announced and commenced, in a bid to accelerate the development of telecommunication infrastructure across Sri Lanka.
“In addition to the ‘Gamata Sanniwedanaya’ project, we are looking at funding facilities from the ADB to fast-track the telecommunication infrastructure development process,” he stated.
Responding to queries on the proposed investment, he stated that the initiative was still in the planning stage and that the Government would first need to obtain funding from the ADB in the form of a credit facility – specifically, an accelerated financial facility – in order to facilitate the development of the country’s telecommunication infrastructure within a short period of time.
The Secretary further revealed that this initiative would not be completely funded by the Government and would instead take the form of a multi-partnership model involving private sector participation.
Commenting on the timeline, he stated that the proposed telecommunication infrastructure project would align with the three-year period announced by the President for the construction of 500 telecommunication towers under the Communication to the Village initiative.
Dhanapala further revealed that the project aimed at both quantitative and qualitative development, increasing the number of telecommunication towers while simultaneously upgrading existing towers and stations.
Commenting on the current status of the project, he revealed that the Government was presently engaged in consultations with the ADB on how best to implement the project.
The Communication to the Village initiative is a project spearheaded by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) aimed at accelerating the expansion of 4G broadband services and improving connectivity in underserved and rural areas across the country.
Commenced in 2021 under the provisions of the Finance Act No.11 of 2004, the project seeks to provide 4G broadband service facilities covering the whole of Sri Lanka by identifying and developing areas with no or inadequate communication facilities.
The project is jointly implemented by mobile service-providing companies and the TRCSL through a cost-sharing mechanism for the construction of communication towers. To date, 83 communication towers have been constructed under the initiative.
In late 2025, President and Minister of Digital Economy Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced plans to install 500 new telecom towers within three years under the Communication to the Village initiative.