நிதியியல் வசதிக்குட்படுத்தல்

Financial Inclusion—ensuring that all segments of society can access and use quality, affordable, and appropriate financial products and services—is a key enabler of inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Promoting financial inclusion is articulated as a statutory responsibility under the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act, No. 16 of 2023, reinforcing the Central Bank’s strategic focus on designing and implementing policies that advance financial inclusion.

The Department of Financial Inclusion (DFI) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka operationalises this mandate in close collaboration with multiple national-level stakeholders. In this context, Sri Lanka’s first National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) for 2021–2024 was launched in 2021 as a multi-stakeholder initiative led by the Central Bank, under the shared vision of “Better quality inclusion for better lives.”

To support its effective implementation, the NFIS Secretariat was established within the DFI in 2021 and functions as the central coordinating and technical body, supporting the NFIS governance structure and facilitating collaboration among government ministries, financial sector regulators, financial institutions, development partners, and private sector stakeholders.

The NFIS prioritizes progress across four key focus areas:

(i) Digital Finance and Payments,

(ii) MSME Finance,

(iii) Consumer Protection, and

(iv) Financial Literacy and Capacity Building.

These focus areas are supported by critical cross-cutting enablers, namely Data, Infrastructure, and Policy, Regulation and Supervision.

DFI continuously reviews the national financial inclusion landscape to identify gaps and works with key stakeholders to develop and implement policies and initiatives that address constraints to financial inclusion. 

Recognizing financial literacy as a vital pillar of financial inclusion, the Central Bank has developed and is implementing the Financial Literacy Roadmap of Sri Lanka to strengthen financial capability nationwide, with the support of CBSL Regional Offices.

With the enactment of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act, No. 16 of 2023, Central Bank-funded refinance schemes were discontinued, and in line with subsequent policy decisions of the Governing Board, concessionary credit operations funded by the Government and donor agencies were transferred to the Treasury or are being gradually phased out; accordingly, only three loan schemes remain in operation and will continue until their natural completion.

Important documents relating to Financial Inclusion