August 7, 2006 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has picked up 12 million rupees to date from taxing foreign movies, dramas and sitcoms aired on local television stations, President Mahinda Rajapakse said. Rajapakse, who is also the island's finance minister, introduced the tax late July, to raise funds to boost the ailing local film industry.
"We have raised about 12 million to date. A project is underway to build a cinema village in Tissamaharama (south of the island), which will include modern equipment to develop local talent," Rajapakse said.
