Govt Eliminates Service Fees for Online Payments

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced that all service fees for electronic payments to government institutions will be waived starting January 1, 2026. 

The initiative, unveiled during the 2026 Budget presentation, is designed to make digital transactions more accessible and cost-effective for citizens.

To further encourage cashless payments, the government will introduce a special provision under the Ministry of Digital Economy to enable QR code payments below Rs. 5,000 to be processed free of charge.

This measure is expected to significantly boost adoption of QR-based transactions across retail and public services.