REFUGEE

Dec 19, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Minister of Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Bandula Gunawardena said the government has further reduced the tax by one percent on rice, sugar and wheat effective midnight Friday (18).

Minister Gunawardena said the decision was taken considering the rising prices and the scarcity of those items to provide the essential items to consumer at lower prices for the holiday season.

According to the Ministry Secretary Lalith R. de Silva price of a kilo gram of sugar will be reduced by four rupees and price of a wheat kilo will be reduced by 10 rupees.

Prices of many other essential food items including the prices of big onions, potatoes and sugar have already been reduced, the Secretary informed.

The government has taken measures to distribute Basmati rice at 70 rupees a kilo through Lak Sathosa outlets island-wide. Stocks of Basmati rice will also be distributed to the private traders through Lak Sathosa and Cooperative outlets, Secretary De Silva said.

The government has ordered the Ponni Samba rice for the festive season and