The time period given to Sri Lankan expatriate workers to import electric vehicles based on their foreign remittances will be extended to the end of August 2023, Minister of Labour & Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara says.

The migrant workers were previously allowed to import electric vehicles from May 2022 to December 31, 2022. 

While participating in an event organized by the Overland Automobile Institute, Minister Nanayakkara also revealed plans to provide electric vehicle import licenses to other people who bring in dollars to the country on a private basis.

He said the government, in a bid to increase the country’s depleted forex reserves, took measures to provide benefits to migrant workers when the country fell into an abyss last year due to the economic crisis.

Despite being delayed due to certain officials who adamantly opposed the initiative, the President and the Cabinet of Ministers gave the go-ahead to expeditiously proceed with the implementation of the pilot project to allow migrant workers to import electric vehicles, he continued.

Denouncing the remarks made by certain people that this initiative is just another ‘political gimmick’, the lawmaker insisted that the incumbent government does not endorse populist politics.

Minister Nanayakkara, reiterating the government’s willingness to support renewable energy and green energy sources, said only electric vehicles would be imported for the state sector in the future.