Economic and fiscal policies, decisions to be discussed:
Council to be convened weekly:
Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
A high-level Economic Council chaired by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been established with the objective of accelerating economic growth in the country, Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.
Addressing the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing yesterday, Minister Alahapperuma said the Cabinet yesterday approved to set up this 11-Member Council and to convene it weekly.
“At a time when the country’s economy is under stress, initiating this Council to discuss economic and fiscal policies and decisions related to strategic projects, which have a direct impact on the economy, is an important step ahead,” the Minister said.
The Council headed by the President consists of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Highways Minister Johnston Fernando, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Plantations Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle and Secretary to the President Gamini Senerath and CBSL Deputy Governor Dhammika Nanayakkara are also Members of the Economic Council.
According to the Cabinet Decisions Press Release of the Government Information Department issued yesterday, President Rajapaksa has decided to convene this Economic Council weekly to thoroughly discuss all economic policies including macroeconomic policies.
The behaviour of the national economy after the COVID-19 pandemic, economic restructuring as well as major development initiatives in the country will also be discussed at length at the Economic Council.