Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Wednesday, 16 February 2022 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Government yesterday announced a raft of new relief measures to ease the cost of living with food inflation on the rise.
New moves include offering Rs. 2,000 worth essential food packs to lowest income families and wheat flour at a concessionary rate to estate worker families.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved on Monday to provide 15 kg of wheat flour monthly at a concessionary rate to 115,867 beneficiary families working in the estate sector.
“We will provide wheat flour at a concessionary rate of Rs. 80 which is sold at Rs. 120 in the market.,” Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena said, joining the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.
He said the move was taken to ease the economic issues faced by estate families due to the unprecedented economic conditions.
Gunawardena also pointed out that the initiative was a proposal by State Minister of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure Jeevan Thondaman and it was presented on behalf of State Minister of Cooperative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection Lasantha Alagiyawanna.
This initiative is included in the massive, but critical relief package worth Rs. 229 billion announced by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa last month.
The Cabinet of Ministers also approved a proposal to provide Rs. 2,000 worth locally sourced essential food items relief packages to 40 identified low income families in each Grama Sevaka division on a monthly basis.
“These are the lowest income families in each Grama Sevaka division that are not included in the Samurdhi as well. On the recommendation of the relevant Divisional Secretariat, a digital card will be issued to the beneficiary family to purchase locally sourced essential goods worth Rs. 2,000 provided at concessionary rates via ‘home shops’ of their respective Grama Sevaka division,” said Trade Minister Gunawardena who submitted these proposals for Cabinet approval.
