• We are aware that the economy is going through a challenging time.We are  sure that the economy will return to normalcy strongly within next year  and beyond, through the progressive proposals in the Budget   

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

The Government and the Central Bank are taking steps to ensure the inflow of foreign exchange so as to mitigate the impact on the rupee,improve liquidity and foreign exchange, Prime Minister Mahinda Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.  

He said that the foreign sector of the economy had faced challenges due to the impact of the pandemic.   

He told Parliament that the Government together with the Central Bank were taking steps to promote foreign employment and attract remittances of expatriate employees into the banking system.   

He said they expected a positive improvement in the tourism sector in Sri Lanka in the future with the reopening of the global tourism industry.   
Speaking during the second reading of the Budget, the PM said the Government was continuing to invest for the development of the economy and social infrastructure, despite the challenges.   

“We are aware that the economy is going through a challenging time.We are sure that the economy will return to normalcy strongly within next year and beyond, through the progressive proposals in the Budget.We have taken steps to implement the policies of the “Vistas of Prosperity”,” he said.   

“We have provided government employment to 60,000 unemployed graduates.A Total of 100,000 unskilled individuals of low- income families were granted employment in the state sector with the aim of mitigating poverty. The Government is spending Rs. 3.5 billion to pay the salaries to these new recruitments monthly,” he said.