President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced that the present government has decided to provide a fuel subsidy for the next three months, with the relevant Cabinet paper scheduled to be presented tomorrow (28).

Speaking at a public rally in Gampaha today (27), President Dissanayake said Rs. 41 billion has been allocated for the subsidy package.
Accordingly, the fuel subsidy will be provided for October, November and December, the President said.

The announcement comes amid continued pressure on fuel prices and household costs, as Sri Lanka remains engaged with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on measures to address the economic impact of higher global commodity and energy prices.

During its recent engagement with Sri Lanka, the IMF said any fiscal support introduced in response to higher fuel and commodity prices should be temporary, targeted at vulnerable groups and carefully costed.

At the Gampaha rally, President Dissanayake also said the people continued to support the present government despite claims made by political opponents. He said political power ultimately rested with the people and that no one could topple the government as long as it retained public support.

The President also rejected claims that the present government’s investigations into alleged corruption were politically motivated. He said there was no intention to take revenge against individuals and stressed that some investigations were complex and required international assistance.