COVID-19: Lanka govt urges employees to donate one month salary to help tide over economic crisis

Sri Lankan government has urged its employees to contribute ir May month's salary, in part or full, to lend a helping hand in fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter dated May 5 and dressed to all state sector employees, P B Jayasundera, Secretary to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said avenues of state revenue have been blocked due to standstill in international tre, export and tourism following coroanvirus pandemic.

"Although this may be a temporary pressure on ecomy, government is duty bound to service its debts. Even if we man local debt, we have to somehow pay foreign debt by using limited state revenue available," letter stated, urging employees to contribute ir May month's salary, in full or part, to help government tide over ecomic crisis me worse by COVID-19 pandemic

Jayasundera said he would donate his May's salary for cause.

letter stated that nearly Rs 100 billion is needed to meet state sector salary payments every month.

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"If we were to forego this, we will have a surplus income over expenditure during May. This will narrow budget deficit and ease our pressure on debt servicing drastically," Jayasundera said.

Meanwhile, a new presidential task force has been set up to develop an ecomic model in post-COVID-19 recovery period for different areas and specified targets.

new model will aim at stopping foreign exchange outflow from education sector, use of indigeus medicine as well as developing tourism and bringing in more foreign investment.

In wake of coronavirus crisis, Sri Lanka has imposed import restrictions to curb outflow of foreign exchange and urged its overseas citizens to invest in country.

Lanka has reported 797 coronavirus cases, including nine deaths.

country h been under a 24-hour curfew since March 20, though it h been intermittently relaxed in some parts. 

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