President announces special relief package in Parliament
April 7, 2026 12:32 pm
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in Parliament today to present the government’s proposed new economic relief package for groups affected by the Middle East crisis.
The President is currently addressing the House.
During his address, the President stated that the fertiliser subsidy will be increased to Rs. 30,000 per hectare for the Yala season, while the subsidy for other crops will be raised from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 18,000 per hectare.
In addition, the President announced adjustments to the Aswesuma allowance.
Accordingly, the Rs. 17,500 allowance will be increased to Rs. 25,000, the Rs. 10,000 allowance will be raised to Rs. 15,000, and the transition allowance will be increased by Rs. 2,500.
Meanwhile, the President also highlighted that several sectors of the country have been adversely impacted by current global wartime conditions, emphasizing that the government has remained vigilant and responsive to these developments.
The President stated that particular attention has been given to the fuel and energy sectors, acknowledging that fluctuations in fuel costs directly affect the daily lives of citizens. He noted that, based on current market values, the price of a liter of diesel exceeds Rs. 600.
“On the first of May, or on a date close to it, we will reintroduce fuel cost-reflective pricing. The price will be calculated using actual data from the preceding month. In the next adjustment, we plan to provide a subsidy of up to Rs. 100 per liter of diesel and up to Rs. 20 per liter of petrol,” the President stated.
“Accordingly, we have estimated a monthly expenditure of Rs. 20 billion. This proposal has been prepared for a period of three months, and the subsidy will be directed toward the targeted communities,” he added.
However, the President clarified that due to insufficient data acquisition, the prices of Super Diesel and Super Petrol will be aligned with market rates.
Consequently, the government has decided to bear a cost of Rs. 100 per liter of regular diesel, resulting in a total projected expenditure of Rs. 60 billion over the three-month period, he added.
The President also emphasized providing relief to the fishing community, therefore, the government has decided to provide a subsidy of Rs. 50 per litre of fuel for three months for one-day fishing vessels, covering 25 litres per day for a maximum of 25 days per month.
In addition, a one-time allowance of Rs. 150,000 will be granted to multi-day fishing vessels engaged in the fishing industry over the next three months.
