Sri Lanka National Film Corporation has announced that the Minister of Power and Energy Dullas Alahapperuma has agreed to grant a one-year grace period for movie theatre owners to settle due electricity bills.

The decision was taken with the aim of providing relief for their financial difficulties caused by the closure of movie theatres from March 2020 due to Covid-19 virus outbreak.

National Film Corporation further stated that the decision was reached during a meeting between the Chairman of the National Film Corporation Dr. Jayantha Dharmadasa and the Minister of Power and Energy Mr. Dullas Alahapperuma, held on the instructions of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

Accordingly, this will provide an opportunity to settle the unpaid movie theatre electricity bills concerning the period from March to December 2020 in 12 months (in 12 equal instalments).

Minister Dullas Alahapperuma has instructed the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Lanka Electricity Company not to disconnect electricity due to arrears during this period.

Requests made by the Association of Film Exhibitors and challenges faced by movie theatre owners including long-term inactivation of technical tools such as digital projectors during the Covid-19 pandemic situation were considered while making this decision.

Accordingly, around 194 movie theatres island-wide registered with the National Film Corporation are eligible for this electricity bill concession.

The cinemas which were closed due to Covid 19 outbreak will be reopened from today (January 01).