President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the Government will introduce a fuel subsidy for the next three months, with a Cabinet paper on the proposal scheduled to be presented tomorrow (28).
Speaking at a public rally in Gampaha today (27), the President said Rs. 41 billion has been allocated for the subsidy programme.
Accordingly, the fuel subsidy will be provided during October, November and December, President Dissanayake said.
The announcement comes amid continued pressure on fuel prices and household costs, as Sri Lanka faces the economic impact of higher global commodity and energy prices while continuing its engagement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The IMF has previously stressed that any fiscal support introduced in response to higher fuel and commodity prices should be temporary, targeted at vulnerable groups and carefully costed.
Addressing the rally, President Dissanayake also said the public continued to support the Government despite claims made by political opponents. He stressed that political power ultimately rested with the people and said no one could topple the Government as long as it retained public support.
The President also rejected allegations that the Government’s investigations into suspected corruption were politically motivated. He said there was no intention to take revenge against individuals and noted that some investigations were complex and required international assistance.
