President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in Parliament today to present the government’s proposed new economic relief package for groups affected by the Middle East crisis. 

During his address, the President also highlighted that several sectors of the country have been adversely impacted by current global wartime conditions, emphasizing that the government has remained vigilant and responsive to these developments.

The President stated that particular attention has been given to the fuel and energy sectors, acknowledging that fluctuations in fuel costs directly affect the daily lives of citizens. He noted that, based on current market values, the price of a liter of diesel exceeds Rs. 600.

“On the first of May, or on a date close to it, we will reintroduce fuel cost-reflective pricing. The price will be calculated using actual data from the preceding month. In the next adjustment, we plan to provide a subsidy of up to Rs. 100 per liter of diesel and up to Rs. 20 per liter of petrol,” the President stated.

“Accordingly, we have estimated a monthly expenditure of Rs. 20 billion. This proposal has been prepared for a period of three months, and the subsidy will be directed toward the targeted communities,” he added.

However, the President clarified that due to insufficient data acquisition, the prices of Super Diesel and Super Petrol will be aligned with market rates. 

Consequently, the government has decided to bear a cost of Rs. 100 per liter of regular diesel, resulting in a total projected expenditure of Rs. 60 billion over the three-month period, he added.