The government of Japan has given its consent to award an aid of Japanese Yen 800 million (approximately LKR 1,360 million) under Japanese non- project grant scheme for the supply of medical equipment required for strengthening the activities of prevention of COVID -19 pandemic situation in Sri Lanka.

Under the scheme, Sri Lanka may obtain medical equipment such as MRI scanners, CT Scanners, Bedside X - Ray Systems, Central Monitors, Bedside Monitors and Defibrillators to fight the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Minister approved the proposal submitted by the Prime Minister acting as the Minister of Finance, Economic and Policy Development to obtain the said grants, as well as to sign the agreements pertaining to it.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved a proposal to transfer funds allocated by the World Bank Institutions under the uncertain emergency requirement responsive factors of the identified investment projects, to the projects to be implemented on the priority basis due to COVID - 19 pandemic conditions.

It has been identified that the issues faced by the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as uplifting the agricultural sector, implementing the e-education methodology, establishment of a methodology for being engaged in duties from residences (working from home), disaster management as well as the prevention of spreading the disease while using public transport, should be addressed immediately.

It has also been decided that financial assistance should be provided in order to resolve the aforementioned issued.

Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved taking necessary measures to enable the US dollars 56 million that have been included under the emergency requirement responsive factors to be released for four investment projects that were funded by the World Bank Group, so that the relevant funds could be utilized for the projects that should be prioritized in the fields mentioned above.

The proposal was submitted to the Cabinet by the Prime Minister as the Minister of Finance, Economic and policy Development.