New economic programme to be finalised next week

A new economic program is to be finalized by the National Economic Council (NEC)  next week. This was decided at a meeting, chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential secretariat yesterday (Feb 20).

According to the President's Information Division, t, detailed discussions were held on the rapid changes required in the country and short term and long-term programs needed to be implemented and the decision to be taken to speed up economic development.

The National Economic Council was appointed by President Sirisena last year to take policy decisions for economic development and the Council and this was its 8th meeting.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Ministers Sarath Amunugama, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Mangala Samaraweera, John Senevirathne, Sajith Premadasa, Rauff Hakeem, Malik Samarawickrama, Faizer Mustapha, Navin Dissanayake, Secretary to the President Austin Fernando, General Secretary of the National Economic Council Prof Lalith Samarakoon, Secretary to the Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to the Cabinet, Sumith Abeysinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance. Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga, Secretary to the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs – K. D.S. Ruwanchandra, Governor of the Central Bank Indrajit Coomaraswamy and others participated in this meeting.