By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

The government has imported 350 million kg of rice during the past three months, despite the assurance given by the Agriculture Minister that rice would not be imported under any reason, National Peoples’ Power(NPP) MP Vijitha Herath said yesterday.   

He told Parliament that 4 million out of the daily requirement of 6 million kg of rice were supplied by rice imported from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. He said about 500 small and medium scale rice millers have been affected by the government’s decision to import rice.   

Speaking during the debate on several regulations of the Plantation Ministry, the MP said the tea industry was also in a crisis due to decisions of the government. He said the government has been unable to provide the daily wage of Rs.1,000 to plantation workers as promised.