State Minister Ruwan Wijewardena is likely to receive a non-Cabinet portfolio as the Minister of Media. 

Sources close to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the Prime Minister's Office has already sent a recommendation in this regard to the President's Office. 

Mangala Samaraweera will focus only on the Finance Ministry and Eran Wickremeratne will continue to function as his State Minister.

It is reported that the decision has been made to strengthen the media machinery of the government which became increasingly inefficient under Samaraweera's watch. 

With the new appointment, all media institutions are expected to be gazetted under the non-Cabinet ministry, giving Wijewardena full powers to oversee their functioning. 

Wijewardena is also the Deputy General Secretary of the UNP.