President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday announced plans to implement structural reforms within Sri Lanka Customs to create an institutional framework that meets modern requirements.

The President made these remarks during a discussion held with the senior officials of Sri Lanka Customs at the Presidential Secretariat, relating to the Budget 2025 and institutional restructuring.

The discussion also addressed critical issues such as inefficiencies, fraud, corruption, and public dissatisfaction with the current functioning of the Customs Department.

In response to these challenges, Dissanayake emphasised the adoption of new technologies aimed at accelerating departmental operations and enhancing service delivery efficiency.

The new restructuring plans for the Department were thoroughly discussed, during which the President directed the officials to enforce stringent laws aimed at eliminating inefficiencies within Sri Lanka Customs.

Furthermore, the President insisted on the need for expediting human resource management, recruitment processes, and the acceleration of infrastructure development.

He also acknowledged the revenue targets successfully achieved by Customs in the previous year and highlighted the necessary measures that the Customs Department must adopt to achieve the revenue target for the current year.

Labour Minister and Economic Development Deputy Minister Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Secretary to the President Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Finance Ministry Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Russel Aponsu, Sri Lanka Customs Director General Sarath Nonis, along with a group of senior officials from Sri Lanka Customs, also participated in this discussion.