Colombo, India’s neighbor Sri Lanka is facing a serious economic crisis. Sri Lanka said on Wednesday that it had been patrolling the seas for nearly two months but had no foreign currency to pay.
But the government said the country has sufficient reserves of diesel. According to online portal NewsFirst.lk, Power Minister Kanchna Vijasekera told Parliament that a ship full of petrol has been anchored in Sri Lankan waters since March 4. But Sri Lanka does not have dollars to pay for it. Apart from this, the ship owes ૩ 25 million for the last delivery in January 207.
The minister said the shipping company has refused to release the ship until both payments are made. “This is why we urge people not to wait for fuel,” he said. There is no problem with diesel. We have a limited quantity of petrol and we are trying to deliver the required services especially to the ambulance.
VJSakera said it would take three days from Friday to distribute petrol at all filling stations. In June, Sri Lanka will need ૫૩ 50 million to import fuel.
Even if the country gets the benefit of the Indian loan facility, it will need more than કરોડ 500 million to buy fuel, compared to ૫ 150 million per month two years ago. Sri Lanka has to pay more than કરોડ 500 million for the last volume of fuel imported.
Mahinda Rajapaksa joined Parliament on Wednesday for the first time in nine days after resigning as Sri Lanka’s prime minister. He had to resign after violent clashes between his supporters and anti-government protesters.
According to ANI, the Foreign Service Officers’ Association (FSAA) has been outraged after China provided rations to Sri Lanka amid a shortage of essential items. He says China is trying to sell dry rations like lentils and rice to impress foreign officials. According to a report, the Chinese Communist Party’s mark is printed on the ration bags given by the Chinese government in the villages of Sri Lanka. SS1MS