Cabinet decisions taken to revive the COVID-19 impacted economy

COLOMBO (News 1st): The cabinet of ministers met on Wednesday and took several decisions including measures to revive the Covid-19 impacted economy with several relief measures to farmers and industries. One of the decisions was to establish a special loan scheme to assist artistes who lost their jobs owing to the COVID - 19 outbreak in the country. A decision was also reached to provide government support to the national carrier, SriLankan Airlines. Foreign Employment Bureau introduced a 24-hour hot-line, to assist people in obtaining information about their relatives living abroad via high commissions and embassies in those respective countries. The hot-line is 1989. The cabinet of ministers also decided to make arrangements to cultivate 523,000 hectares of land during the Yala season, with an allocation of Rs. 10 billion to import fertilizer. A decision was also reached to continue the programme implemented to issue e-passports to the general public.