Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Harin Fernando said yesterday that the Parliament should be digitized to minimize costs and the effect on the environment.

Speaking during the debate of the Third Reading of the Budget, Fernando said that the large quantity of books printed for Parliamentary purposes was an added cost. Furthermore, it affects the environment as trees are felled to manufacture paper, he added.

Fernando also said Sri Lanka wastes Rs. 150 million per day because of data misplacement. Digitizing the government institutions could save this wastage, he argued. He also said that only 25% of the population possesses a smart phone but only 26% uses the internet.