Prices of several items increase day by day in Sri Lanka, which were reduced prior to the presidential and general elections.
Sri Lanka’s month on month vegetable price inflammation last month was 63%. Annualised at this tare it is 756% higher than Zimbabwe and Venezuela. On this trajectory it is on course for starvation.
Prior to the election, a kilo of dhal was Rs. 60 and salmon was Rs. 100. But today, a kilo of dhal is Rs. 260 and salmon costs Rs. 360 Colombo sources said.
During the previous two months the daily expenditure of a family of four has increased by more than Rs. 10,000. So many trade unions demand that this Rs. 10,000 be allocated from this budget.
The government should also increase the salaries of private and public sector employees by Rs. 10,000.
Meantime, the demand for kerosene is two times higher than earlier and considering the previous times.
People used to buy kerosene as an alternative to the country’s frequent domestic gas shortages and precautionary measure in fear of strike action being taken by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) employees.