Former State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardena took oaths as the non-Cabinet Minister of Media before President Maithripala Sirisena this evening. 

He replaced Mangala Sanaraweera who reportedly resigned from the post of Media Minister ahead of Wijewardena's appointment. 

Samaraweera will continue as the Cabinet Minister of Finance. 

Wijewardena, a cousin of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, hails from the family that owns the largest newspaper company in the country. 

He has also worked briefly, as an intern, in the same newspaper company before taking to politics. 

Wijewardena, however, never played an active role in the family-owned business after becoming a politician. 

Government sources said Wijewardena was appointed the Media Minister to streamline the state media machinery which has earned criticism from government supporters for being inefficient and lethargic. 

All state media institutes will now come under the purview of the non-Cabinet Minister of Media.