The move follows revelations that the government does not have a proper recording system for such vehicles.

In a circular issued this week, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana directed that vehicles in possession of the state as of September 1 should be registered with the Comptroller General’s office. This is to maintain a centralised, comprehensive database under the Non-Finance Asset Management System (NFAMS).

The system will enable each public sector institution to keep records of its asset inventory on a web-based platform and generate reports required for its asset management.

Under the first phase of the implementation of the system, vehicles of government agencies, public enterprises, provincial councils, and local government institutions will be registered starting September 1.