The Cabinet nod has been granted to provide upto Rs.40, 000 as a financial subsidy for paddy farmers to procure fertilisers in the upcoming Yala season.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on Monday sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to provide Rs.20, 000 per hectare as a financial subsidy for farmers, up to a maximum of two hectares to procure fertilisers during 2023 Yala season. 

Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickremesinghe sought the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to provide additional 850,000 low-income families on the waiting list with 10 kg of rice per month for a period of two months and to increase the approved budget allocation By Rs.3 billion for the programme. “On 16.01.2023, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the provision of 10 Kg of rice per family for a  period of two months covering 2 million low-income families. In addition to the two million families mentioned above, it has been identified that there are 850,000 low-income families on the waiting list and that they should also be included in the proposed programme,” the Government Information Department said.

Accordingly, the government is set to provide 2.85 million families with 10 kg of rice per month for a period of two months with an allocation of Rs.13 billion.