Price Concession on Ten Essential Items Before The End of This Year

Minister of  Health, Rajitha Senarathna , Cabinet Spokesman said yesterday,  that Ministers have brought to the notice of the President and Prime Minister  about the recent price increases in essential goods..   Dried fish which was earlier sold at Rs 550 earlier is now sold at Rs 790 per kilo.  Snake Guard which was sold at Rs 119 in March is now sold  at  Rs 182. Prices of beans ,  Carrot , leeks and  other vegetable prices  have gone up beyond the reach of the  ordinary consumer.  These items were not subjected to VAT, but prices have sky rocketed. Considering above facts , a special committee was appointed with the relevant Ministers .This Committee comprised of Ravi Karunanayake, Rishad Bathiudeen , Malik Samaravikrama and Mahinda Samaraweera. There is provision  to take in other Ministers,  if necessity arise. This Committee will meet frequently  and  take decisions.  Day before yesterday this committee met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and took some decisions . It was decided to implement these decisions  within 4 days .Control prices for 15 essential goods were published in Government Gazette , which include Rice, LP Gas, Cement. Gram, Chicken , Tin fish, Milk flour, Wheat flour , White sugar, Dried Chile , Dry  Fish and onion etc. To ensure  these price control items are sold at control prices, 100 more additional officers were appointed  to strengthen Consumer Authority. In future this committee will  meet  at two weeks interval . Prices of essential goods will be published in news papers. Some section of the Politicians are trying to mislead the public quoting  VAT increase . They won’t  be successful  in their attempt said Rajitha.