Essentials under price control

Several Ministries working together:

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The Government will control the prices of essential commodities while allowing the private sector to conduct their business activities without hindrance, Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said yesterday.

The Minister said so at yesterday’s Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department.

Minister Yapa said that the prices were regulated so as to ensure reasonable prices. In line with the price regulatory mechanism, Security Forces personnel are engaging in selling vegetables. As a result of this exercise, it has been reported that vegetable prices are coming down gradually.

Even though, this fruitful effort of Security Forces personnel is criticized by narrow-minded politicians.

In addition, several Ministries and institutions such as the Trade and Marketing Ministry, Economic Development Ministry, Agrarian Services Ministry, Mahaweli Authority and so on have come together to ensuring reasonable prices.

Answering to a journalist, the Minister added that the Government approved a provision of relief for victims of the recent natural disaster. On the directives of the President, immediate relief measures were taken by the Government to provide cooked meals, dry rations, drinking water, medicines and other requirements.

According to available statistics nearly 280,000 families consisting of 1,061,000 people were affected due to the flood and earthslips.

“Without considering the income level, the Government provides all flood victims with relief and assistance,” Minister Yapa noted.

Accordingly, irrespective of the income level, the temporary shelter where flood victims are housed ie the welfare centre or in the place of a relative or a friend, all victims are treated to the maximum.

In addition, the Cabinet has decided to appoint an Officials Committee consisting of representatives of the relevant 10 ministries to look into ways of providing further relief to the flood victims.