‘PayDigital Jaffna’ Initiative Launched to Promote Digital Economy in Northern Province

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka officially launched the “PayDigital Jaffna” awareness and promotional programme on Friday at the Cargills Square complex in Jaffna, aiming to accelerate the adoption of digital payment systems across the Northern Province.

Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayagan, who attended the event as the Chief Guest, inaugurated the initiative by carrying out his first official digital payment transaction.

Addressing the gathering, Governor Vethanayagan said digital payments have become the “heartbeat of the digital economy” as the world rapidly advances through a technological revolution. He noted that the programme supports the government’s three key national priorities under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake—poverty alleviation, a Clean Sri Lanka, and digitalisation—by integrating them into people’s daily lives.

The Governor stressed that Sri Lanka must embrace the global shift from cash-based transactions to digital payment systems in order to remain competitive. He described digital payments as more than just an alternative method of payment, highlighting their ability to improve speed, security, transparency, and accountability while reducing corruption and strengthening tax compliance.

He also urged businesses, restaurants, hotels, and service providers in Jaffna to adopt modern digital payment technologies to better serve the growing number of local and international tourists. Introducing internationally accepted digital payment platforms, he said, would enable visitors to make transactions conveniently without payment-related difficulties.

The event was attended by Wasantha Alwis, Director of the Payments and Settlements Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka; S. Sivakaran, Additional District Secretary of Jaffna; Bakirathyi Senthilmaran, Regional Manager of the Central Bank’s Kilinochchi Office; M. Marappana, Deputy Inspector General of Police for Jaffna; senior Central Bank officials, representatives from state and private banks, business organisations, and members of the local business community.

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