February 25, Colombo (LNW): In a bid to support low-income families during the upcoming Sinhala and Tamil New Year, the government is preparing a relief package that will include essential food items at affordable prices.
The move is aimed at ensuring that the festive season remains accessible for those facing financial challenges.
Yesterday (24), the Food Policy and Security Committee convened in Parliament to discuss the details of the initiative.
The committee, chaired by Ministers K.D. Lalkantha and Wasantha Samarasinghe, deliberated on how to ensure a steady supply of essential food items during the holiday period whilst keeping prices under control.
The aim is to avoid shortages of critical supplies, such as rice, lentils, and sugar, which often experience price fluctuations during peak demand times.
This year’s budget has earmarked Rs. 1 billion for the relief package, which will see essential food items offered at subsidised rates to low-income families during the festive season.
A major portion of the meeting was dedicated to ensuring the effective and transparent use of these funds to make sure the relief reaches those who need it most.
One of the key focuses of the committee was to minimise the volatility of essential commodity prices in the market, with particular emphasis on maintaining stability.
Additionally, there was considerable discussion about reducing the prices of bakery products, which often see significant price hikes during festive seasons.
Another significant topic raised during the meeting was the purchase of paddy. The committee reviewed the ongoing efforts to ensure sufficient paddy is bought under the loan facilities provided to rice mill owners.
It was noted that some rice mill owners may have diverted the loans intended for paddy procurement to other uses.
Reports suggest that several large-scale rice mill owners have secured loans exceeding Rs. 15 billion for paddy purchases, prompting the committee to call for a follow-up investigation into these transactions.
Ministers have directed officials to closely monitor this situation.
Furthermore, the committee expressed concern about the challenges faced by small-scale rice mill owners in acquiring paddy and discussed strategies to encourage them to participate in the procurement process.
