Middle East conflict driving up prices in Sri Lanka, says Cabinet Spokesman

Newswire reports that Cabinet spokesperson and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East had increased global fuel costs and affected the prices of goods and services in Sri Lanka. Ada Derana also reports that Jayatissa linked the conflict to price impacts in the country.

Newswire reports that Jayatissa made the remarks at the weekly Cabinet media briefing on the 27th. He said fuel prices had risen sharply in recent days after multiple increases, and that authorities were taking measures to limit the effect on living costs.

Newswire reports that the government had allocated Rs. 17.5 billion for electricity bill subsidies, increased Aswesuma welfare benefits, and provided Rs. 6,000 each to 1.5 million schoolchildren this year. Jayatissa also said funding equivalent to additional allocations intended for annual public-sector salary increases had generally been set aside for fuel subsidies.

Newswire reports that Jayatissa said the government was working on further relief measures, but any additional support would need to be covered by available Treasury resources amid global economic uncertainty.