Ranawaka calls for National Households Survey for 2022

Chairman of the National Council sub-committee on identifying short-and medium-term programmes related to economic stabilisation, Patali Champika Ranawaka, yesterday ordered the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Census and Statistics to conduct a National Households Survey for 2022 immediately. Ranawaka mentioned that this survey had not been conducted during the last three years. The survey would help to understand the prevailing social situation and prepare future policies, he said.

The committee is also planning to submit a detailed report in December that includes proposals related to debt stabilisation and how to deal with the fallout in some sectors when implementing IMF recommendations, .The sub-committee will start obtaining public opinion through a digital platform soon, Committee Chairman, Ranawaka added during a sub-committee meeting with intellectuals.

Officials of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Ministry of Finance and Prof. Rohan Samarajeeva were present. They discussed the current debt situation of the country and the potential policy changes that has to be made when dealing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) .

The Superintendent and Registrar of the Public Debt Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. M. Z. M. Aazim said that the situation would improve from January 2023.The attention of the committee was drawn to the social impact of stabilising the rupee, increasing taxes, and import restrictions. The committee also paid attention to potential outcomes that can occur if small and medium scale industries collapse, high unemployment, increase in poverty, etc.