The Government is pursuing various strategies to strengthen the economy affected by the COVID pandemic. Local industrialists will be provided with the necessary support to produce what the country needs, Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure State Minister Nimal Lanza said.
“Local entrepreneurs can produce what we are importing now. Steps have been taken to produce certain drugs and saline for the health sector. We are exporting still in the face of the COVID pandemic and reducing the gap between exports and imports in the recent past by restricting certain imports,” the State Minister said.
“Revenue of our country has been limited or lost in several sectors including tourism, remittances and customs revenue. Therefore, the Government has to incur additional costs to import vaccines, to control the pandemic, to test patients, to increase hospital facilities, to buy safety equipment and to maintain quarantine centres,” the State Minister said.
“In addition, payment of salaries to the public servants and retirees are being made without any deduction, Providing allowances to non-income earners during the curfew period and providing loan relief to the people through banks and financial institutions are being done as well,” the State Minister said. “Even in the midst of economic challenges, the President and the Government are working to empower local entrepreneurs and manage and strengthen the country's economy,” State Minister Lanza said.
State Minister Nimal Lanza also said that the economic challenges can be met with the success of vaccination and with the support of the people.
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