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Item Tobacco smoking in Sri Lanka: identifying and understanding the last mile smokers(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2020) Madurawala, Sunimalee; Karunanayake, Chathurga; Thilanka, ChaminiItem Tobacco smoking cessation: lessons and policy options for Sri Lanka(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2021) Madurawala, Sunimalee; Karuanayake, ChathurgaSri Lanka has, in general, madeimportant strides in reducing the overall smoking prevalence rate over time. However, if smoking prevalence is to decrease further, it is important that measures are taken to reduce the prevalence rate among residual smokers - the Last Mile Smokers. The Last Mile Smokers are the remaining groups in which the smoking prevalence rates are higher than the overall smoking prevalence rate in the country. Last Mile Smokers are, in general, less responsive to system-wide measures such as smoking and advertising bans as well as health awareness campaigns. As such, targetted smoking cessation policies and programmes play a vital role in supporting these groups to quit smoking effectively. However, given that tobacco products contain nicotine, a highly addictive drug on par with heroin and cocaine, smoking cessation is often a challenging task and a long-term process.Item Talking Tobacco: how reduced consumption benefits the economy(Institute Of Policy Studies Of Sri Lanka, 2021) Jayawardena, Priyanka; Weerasekera, HariniOn average, a tobacco-user household spends nearly LKR 2,000 per month on tobacco, constituting 4 per cent of the household budget. Spending on tobacco can drive out other critical household expenditures, including basic needs. This 'crowding out effect' would be the greatest for poor families, affecting not only the smoker but the rest of the family as well.Item Shadow education in Sri Lanka during Covid-19 : trends,impacts, and role in relation to mainstream education(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2023) Abayasekara, Ashani; Perera, Usha; De Silva, ThisaliThe coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created the largest disruption to education systems in recent history, leading to unavoidable and substantial learning losses among students worldwide. While a growing literature has examined the impacts of extended school closures on multiple aspects of education, the focus has almost exclusively been on formal mainstream education, as opposed to "shadow education" - more commonly known as private supplementary tutoring.Item Public Investment For Closing The SDG Finance Gap: Sri Lanka Perspective(Institute Of Policy Studies Of Sri Lanka, 2023) Fernando, LakminiRealising 'United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development' requires massive investment allocation as limited financial resource availability decelerated the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Economic crisis loomed with the COVID-19 pandemic, has further hindered SDG progress. Therefore, theachievement of 2030 Agenda relies on the effectiveness of recovery strategies and financial capabilities. Public investment plays a significant role in 2030 Agenda, however, systemic research on the nexus between public investment and SDGs is limited. Hence, assessing SDGs investment gap is significant and supports sufficient flow of funds to 2030 Agenda. The additional investment requirement in 2030 to reach key SDGs is 4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for emerging market economies (EMEs) and 15% for low-income countries(LICs). Using an input-outcome based innovative costing methodology, Sri Lanka's additional investment requirement for SDGs by 2030 is estimated to be around United States Dollars (USD) 1.4 trillion (Tn) or 12.5 percentage pointsof GDP. On average, public investment has been around 5-7% of GDP over the last decade, hence, allocation ofadditional funds for SDGs is challenging.The 2030 Agenda requires placing equal importance on economic, social and environmental objectives. However,Sri Lanka's public investment ratio in these three dimensions is 80:19:1 and it is long been skewed towardsinfrastructure development. The SDG framework can be used as a foresight planning tool to minimise these disparities. Further, strengthened domestic resource mobilisation, use of innovative financing options and enhanced institutional quality are vital to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sri Lanka.Item Palm Oil Industry In Sri Lanka: An Economic Analysis(Institute Of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2023) Pathiraja, Erandathie; Samaraweera, Ruwan; Fernando, Hiruni; Bogodage, JaannPalm oil is the main edible oil source consumed in the world. Sri Lanka began importing palm oil a few decades back mainly due to the increasing local demand driven by population and income growth, changes in food habits and developments in food and related industries. Considering the rising demand for imported palm oil and the potential suitability of climatic and soil factors in the country, oil palm was allowed to be cultivated on 20,000 hectares (ha) as part of a strategy to promote import substitution. Hence, regional plantation companies (RPCs) were permitted to cultivate oil palm in marginal rubber lands in selected districts. However, oil palm cultivation and consumption are globally criticised for its environmental and health impacts regardless of rewarding factors such as low cost and versatility in food and many other industries. Sri Lanka also paid attention to possible environmental hazards and health impacts of consuming palm oil as well as resistance from local environmental activists. As a result, oil palm cultivation was banned and a phase out within 10 years was proposed as a policy decision. Subsequently, the country took measures to restrict the importation of palm oil, considering its health hazards. Yet, alternatives to satisfy the local demand are limited. Hence, the decision was revised to keep the market open under licences. However, the industry investors claim that the criticism is unreasonable. Therefore, this study explores the economic aspects of the industry, such as costs and returns, contribution to the economy, tariff protection, market linkages etc., including potential environmental and social issues in the palm oil industry value chain in Sri Lanka.Item Elasticity Estimates for Cigarettes in Sri Lanka(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2020) Arunatilake, Nisha; Weerasekara, Harini; Thilanka, ChaminiTobacco is extremely harmful to health and has been found to increase the risk of many non-communicable diseases including cancer, heart diseases, and respiratory illnesses. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), of which Sri Lanka is a signatory, was formed to end the tobacco epidemic. Since signing the WHO FCTC treaty in 2003, Sri Lanka has introduced several initiatives to control tobacco use in the country. These measures have decreased the tobacco incidence in Sri Lanka, but tobacco consumption remains high with 28.1 per cent of males being smokers in 2018 (World Health Organization.Item A Three-wheeled attraction: an analysis of Three-Wheeler drivers in Sri Lanka's labour market(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2022) De Silva, ThisaliThe existing labour shortage in Sri Lanka has been inflicting high economic pressure not only on agricultural and industrial sectors but also on labour supply for domestic activities countrywide. Manufacturing sector industries such as apparel and construction, and service sector industries like tourism suffer from labour shortages that the country is currently experiencing. The shortage of people in some industries, such as the construction sector, is attributed to the reluctance of youth to take up this type of employment (Praveen et al. (2016)).Item Insurance to promote human-wildlife coexistence(International Institute For Environment and Development, 2023)This guide is for governments, conservationist practitioners and insurers to design and introduce insurance schemes to reduce human-wildlife conflict (HWC) and promote human-wildlife coexistence. HWC imposes significant costs on poor, small-scale farmers and pastoralists in many parts of the world, particularly those living adjacent to protected areas and on larger-scale operations such as plantations. Costs include losses from crop damage, livestock injury or death, property damage and human injury or death. Opportunity and other indirect costs add to the burden of HWC. Biodiversity is also impacted as wildlife is often injured or killed in retaliation.Item Talking tobacco: how reduced consumption benefits the economy(Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka, 2021-03) Jayaweera, Priyanka; Weerasekara, HariniItem Economic and Social Development under a Market Economy Regime in Sri Lanka: Buddhadasa Hewavitharana Felicitation Volume II(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2010-06) Kelegama, Saman (ed.); Gunewardena, Dileni (ed.)This is the second volume of essays in honour of Professor Buddhadasa Hewavitharna, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Peradeniya and the Chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka.Item Economic and Social Development under a Market Economy Regime in Sri Lanka: Buddhadasa Hewavitharana Felicitation Volume I(Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, 2010-06) Kelegama, Saman (ed.); Gunewardena, Dileni (ed.)This Volume of essays is dedicated to Prof. Buddhadasa Hewavitharana, Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Peradeniya and the current Chairman of the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka. Professor Hewavitharana had an illustrious career and distinguished himself as a leading economist in Sri Lanka. This introductory chapter has two parts: first a biographical note on the professor, followed by an overview of the chapters in this Volume.