(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage states that the economic centers will be open only for wholesale trade.
Despite the curfew in the Western Province, it has been decided to open these economic centers for wholesale trade from November 4th
Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage stated that these decisions were taken at a discussion held at Temple Trees Monday (02) under the chairmanship of Basil Rajapaksa, Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Alleviation, on the instructions of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Accordingly, the employees of the Ratmalana, Narahenpita and Bokundara Economic Centers will be reopened Wednesday (04) after the employees of those centers are subjected to PCR tests tomorrow, 3rd November.
Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage and State Minister Sashindra Rajapaksa along with other officials inspected the Economic Center today. The government has decided to implement a program to distribute essential food items so that the people are not inconvenienced despite the curfew imposed.
The Minister said that retail trade does not take place in these economic centers and it was decided at this discussion to give the opportunity to licensed wholesalers to do so.
The Minister said that it was decided at this discussion to issue licenses to one institution for 15 vehicles, open supermarkets and implement a special program to distribute goods.
However, the Veyangoda Economic Center is already operational.
The Minister further stated that action will be taken to open the Welisara Economic Center soon after inspecting it.
