Friday Mar 14, 2025
Tuesday, 12 December 2023 01:45 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
NPP MP Vijitha Herath
National People’s Party (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath criticised the Government yesterday expressing dissatisfaction with the allocation of a mere Rs. 5 per fisherman in the 2024 Budget.
Speaking in Parliament, the MP highlighted that Sri Lanka possesses a bountiful ocean area of 517,000 km², suggesting that the country has the potential to generate substantial revenue through fisheries. “It could even bring in significant foreign exchange,” he noted.
However, the MP expressed regret that the fisheries industry is deteriorating continuously. “An industry that once contributed 2.5% to the GDP has now fallen to 1%. The cause, Herath alleged, is the incorrect policies of the current Government.
“Even this Budget will adversely affect their livelihoods. To foster industry development, essential support and incentives must be provided. However, with the current Budget allocation divided among the number of fishers in the country, it is clear that only Rs. 5 has been allocated per fisherman,” he emphasised.
“It’s regrettable to observe that, at the same time, the Government has allocated a substantial Rs. 110 million for the upkeep of former Presidents who have been accused of contributing to the country’s bankruptcy, as confirmed by a court decision,” Herath added.
The MP deemed this unjust and raised concerns about how the industry can be revived under these circumstances. “Not even a rupee has been allocated for 2024 to develop fisheries-related infrastructure,” he noted. Herath emphasised that the failure is not attributed to the subject Minister but is instead a consequence of the Government’s flawed policies.
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.