Sri Lanka’s banks are still owed 88 billion rupees for interest subsidies paid to senior citizens in the past, according to State Minister for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. This disclosure comes as the cabinet of ministers approved a new interest subsidy scheme aimed at providing relief to senior citizens. The newly approved scheme establishes a floor
Sri Lanka’s consumer prices in the capital Colombo increased by 2.4% in the 12 months to July 2024. However, the central bank’s deflationary policy, which began impacting the balance of payments in September 2022, has only resulted in a 2.8% rise over the past 22 months. In July, the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell
The International Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka (ICCSL) recently led a crucial meeting with representatives from Sri Lanka’s export sector and a team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to evaluate the potential effects of abolishing the Simplified Value Added Tax (SVAT) on the country’s export industry. ICCSL Policy Committee Chairman Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri highlighted
Sri Lanka has lifted import controls on several key cereal grains, which had been in place despite increasing malnutrition and poverty resulting from a currency collapse driven by aggressive macro-economic policies. Previously, Sri Lanka imposed controls on approximately 3,500 items, including various cereal grains, as part of a broader economic strategy. This strategy involved the
Sri Lanka’s central government net debt decreased to 36.3 billion USD in 2023, down from 37.5 billion USD in 2022, despite borrowing 1.57 billion USD to finance the budget deficit, according to official data. The reduction in net debt occurred as the central bank did not print money to enforce policy rates, eliminating forex shortages