The Cabinet of Ministers has approved President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s proposal for the 11-member Economic Council to meet weekly to speed up the economic development of the country.

Accordingly, relevant ministries, departments and statutory institutions will implement decisions with the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers as and when required, in accordance with the approval of the said council.

The composition of the Economic Council is as follows:

1. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (chair)
2. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa
3. Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena
4. Highways Minister Johnston Fernando
5. Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa
6. Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage
7. Plantation Minister Ramesh Pathirana
8. Governor of Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Ajith Nivard Cabraal
9. Secretary to the President, Gamini Senarath
10. Secretary to the Treasury, S.R. Attygalle
11. Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dhammika Nanayakkara

The Economic Council is tasked with discussing the local economic policies in depth and managing the overall economy of the country.

Thereby, the decision taken by the President to call for experts in each field as required for the meetings of the Economic Council has received the go-ahead of the Cabinet of Ministers.