Govt to release kerosene for fisher folk

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Sri Lankan government has decided to release 50 fuel bowsers daily to meet the kerosene needs of the fishing community.

Last week, the Petroleum Corporation had approved the release of 357 kerosene bowsers to meet the fishing community's needs. 

However, the fuel stations had only obtained 206 bowsers (58%). The government has borne an additional US $ 3.3 million cost for this purpose. 

This was reported in a letter sent by the President's Director General on Community Affairs Keerthi Thennakoon to the District Secretaries, Provincial Fisheries Ministry Secretaries and Provincial Cooperative Ministry Secretaries regarding steps taken by the government to ensure the regular and continuous distribution of kerosene for the fishing community.

Tennakoon pointed out that despite this additional expense, the supply of kerosene to the fishing community has not been done properly and the fishing community has not been able to carry out their fishing activities.

Ensuring food security is considered a prime responsibility of the government and it is expected to meet the nutritional needs of the people through the current bountiful fish harvest, said the President's Media Division.

Therefore, it has been informed that the Ministry of Fisheries has delegated the responsibility to the Petroleum Corporation to determine the amount of fuel required by the fishermen and the areas where they should receive it.