Govt. has no right to up fuel or gas prices: CPC’s JSS wing Secretary

No matter what are  the difficulties the Government experiences, they have no right to increase the fuel or domestic gas prices, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation's (CPC) Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya wing's (JSS) Secretary Ananda Palitha said. 

He told the Daily Mirror that no efforts have been made by this Government to grant fuel subsidy to the general public even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government is now holding on to the fuel and gas price increase until the end of the New Year season. Fuel and gas prices will escalate after the new year to an extent where people cannot imagine.

"The depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar was due lack of control by the government.

The Government claims that they had maintained a separate account during the COVID-19 pandemic period to cover up the local fuel and gas prices at a situation where the price fuel was high in the world market," he said.

"Even during the global COVID-19 pandemic, the fuel and gas prices in the world market had dropped as it had never been before. The Government said the separate account that it had maintained during the pandemic, would help to adjust price fluctuation," Palitha said.

"Except for the fuel subsidy, the Government granted concessions for dahl and canned fish. After the fuel price increase again in the world market, the concession given on Dahl and canned fish was withdrawn," Palitha added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)