COLOMBO: Power Minister Gamini Lokuge stated that despite the prevailing challenges the government is keen on providing relief to the people and the needs of the people are considered a priority.
He said that amidst the COVID-19 challenge, the government will take action to uplift the economy and the lives of the people by implementing a number of programmes.
Addressing the media at Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters on Tuesday, Jan.4, he assured that a substantial amount of relief will be provided to the citizens.
“The world economy went into recession due to the economic crisis that came with COVID-19 pandemic and Sri Lanka also had to face it. Therefore, we had a shortage of foreign exchange. There were certain food shortages but the government is trying its level best to provide relief to people,”he added.
Lokuge said the government further analyzed the current economic situation and provided a package that would enable those who could not live on the income of this country to cope with the increasing living conditions.
Public servants will receive Rs. 5,000 in addition to their salaries, while Samurdhi recipients will receive Rs. 1000 in addition to Samurdhi assistance and pensioners will receive Rs. 5,000. The government has allocated Rs. 229 billion to provide these subsidies.
https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8050455532790881&output=html&h=280&adk=3032494721&adf=2900813687&pi=t.aa~a.3894069241~i.11~rp.4&w=797&fwrn=4&fwrnh=100&lmt=1641356172&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=4764677891&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=797×280&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailynews.lk%2F2022%2F01%2F05%2Flocal%2F269407%2Fgovernment-will-provide-relief-despite-pandemic-challenges-lokuge&flash=0&fwr=0&pra=3&rh=199&rw=796&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&wgl=1&fa=27&adsid=ChEIgP3PjgYQyJ6gvYXEgYXkARJMAAK6GT_RYn4Yxn8Tj3O5QGSzCfwNavHL_I6v2yyPKZB6AtOLFbMZAvQx1VIdTyfJLJImetHgKZGrUl71ePJ0TnOhCOLbm_1qDIQJbQ&uach=WyJXaW5kb3dzIiwiMTAuMC4wIiwieDg2IiwiIiwiOTYuMC40NjY0LjExMCIsW10sbnVsbCxudWxsLCI2NCJd&dt=1641356172737&bpp=1&bdt=1738&idt=-M&shv=r20211207&mjsv=m202112060101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3Dc06c9007949961b5%3AT%3D1628449622%3AS%3DALNI_MafeHqskGsUz1lFyPW-7E3CTDD_zQ&prev_fmts=1200×280%2C0x0%2C797x280&nras=4&correlator=1352393569173&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=893704121.1583440881&ga_sid=1641356171&ga_hid=1559402341&ga_fc=1&u_tz=330&u_his=5&u_h=720&u_w=1280&u_ah=680&u_aw=1280&u_cd=24&u_sd=1.5&dmc=8&adx=27&ady=1975&biw=1263&bih=577&scr_x=0&scr_y=40&eid=44750773%2C21067496&oid=2&pvsid=976264545158139&pem=996&tmod=419&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fdailynews.lk%2F&eae=0&fc=384&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C1280%2C0%2C1280%2C680%2C1280%2C577&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&jar=2022-01-05-04&ifi=21&uci=a!l&btvi=2&fsb=1&xpc=raEirqnLjD&p=https%3A//dailynews.lk&dtd=51 He also added that a large scale programme has been launched to provide financial assistance to farmers for the improvement of farming related activities. “When this was started the Opposition thought that our government would collapse. This government is working to face any difficulties especially with President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. We continue to function as a government that has the strength to face problems, if we observe any inconvenience to the public, we will always work to rectify it”, he highlighted.
Minister Lokuge also extended his special thanks to Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa for granting a great relief from the very first Cabinet meeting. And also the issues related to teachers’ salaries were solved and it was decided to provide the increased salary from this month.
Minister Lokuge also highlighted that if the future appears to be more difficult, the government will further take action to provide reliefs to the people. “Currently we are working on a production year. Therefore we expect that everybody will join hands to strengthen the economy”, he added.
SLPP MP Pradeep Undugoda also speaking said that the main sources of income for the country were the income received through the foreign tourists, the income from exports and the income from foreign workers and in the face of the pandemic all these income methods were cut short and the economy was crippled.
He further added that more than 98% of the people in this country have been given the first dose and 85% has been administered the second dose and in addition, the booster vaccine has been administered to over 4 million people. And thereby the endeavors taken to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus is successful and people have got the opportunity to continue their regular lives adhering to certain guidelines.
He said that the government is functioning according to a plan and all the members of the government will fully commit in the next three years and responsibilities will be taken to rebuild the economy and fulfill the promises kept on people.
