President Ranil Wickramasinghe stated in Parliament today (17) that the negotiations to obtain the agreement of India and China for debt restructuring have been successful.
The President also asked all the public representatives to join hands through a new political system to relieve the people and free them from oppression.
Emphasizing that the government is working to provide relief to the people despite the difficult economic background, the President also said that he will take steps to allocate Rs. 30-40 billion for medicines this year.
He said that due to the correct agricultural policies of the government, there has been an excess of rice harvest and the government has planned a program accordingly to provide 02 million low-income families with 10 kg of rice per month for 02 months.
Some have accused the government of spending money for the independence celebration. Still, it is an investment for the future, the president said, adding that in the 25 years leading up to the 100th anniversary of independence, the country will introduce several new institutions and laws for the reform program.
President further stated,
“We are working to bring some new laws. When the National Commission on Women’s Act, the Gender Equality Act, and the Women’s Empowerment are brought, our country became the country that took the most steps for women’s safety in South Asia.
Also, for the sake of the environment, the Climate Change Act, Forest Replantation, and Tree Cover Act are being brought.
Laws for the exploration and management of marine resources, the Muthurajawela (Conservation) Act, through all these, our country becomes the country with the best environmental laws in this region. Future generations are asking us to protect these resources.
And we are introducing the Social Justice Commission Act. We must work for social justice.
In addition to these programs, money should be used for the creation of 75 urban forests this year and for the programs of the National Youth Platform project. Also, we are working to implement a project of 1996 houses for low-income earners in Colombo district and Gampaha district.”
