• Selected industries such as power generation, fisheries, and exports will be allowed to import fuel directly
• Cabinet nod to amend Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act No. 33 of 2002

The Government is in the process of issuing a special permit procedure to allow selected sectors to import and manage fuel stocks required for their industrial operations.

Identifying fuel as a key factor for economic activities, the Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting on Monday has decided to amend the existing Act to allow the issuance of licenses to selected specific sectors to import and use the fuel required.

The proposal to this effect was tabled by Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera to amend the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act No. 33 of 2002.

“New proposal will enable us to overcome a lot of issues the people dealt with in terms of importing and distributing fuel over the past few months. The selected sectors such as power generation, fisheries, and exports will in future be able to import and maintain stocks of fuel to ensure smooth functioning of individual industries,” Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Plantation Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana explained to journalists at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.

Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman will be directed to make a blueprint of the bill to amend the Petroleum Products (Special Provisions) Act, making provisions to issue licences to identified parties. (CdeS)

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