The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, at its meeting held on 08 April 2022, decided to increase the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank by 700 basis points to 13.50 per cent and 14.50 per cent, respectively, effective from the close of business on 08 April 2022. The Board, having noted the inflationary pressures that could further intensify in the period ahead, driven by the build-up of aggregate demand, domestic supply disruptions, exchange rate depreciation and the elevated prices of commodities globally, was of the view that a substantial policy response is imperative to arrest the buildup of added demand driven inflationary pressures in the economy and preempt the escalation of adverse inflationary expectations, to provide the required impetus to stabilise the exchange rate and also to correct anomalies observed in the market interest rate structure.

Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe assumes duties as the 17th Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL).  Dr. Weerasinghe is a career central banker, with extensive experience in Monetary and Exchange Rate Policy.  Dr. Weerasinghe was promoted as Deputy Governor on 27 September, 2011 while he was serving as an Alternate Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund and assumed office as Deputy Governor of the CBSL on 01 September 2012.  Dr. Weerasinghe holds a PhD and Master’s Degree in Economics from the Australian National University and a B.Sc. Degree from the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka.