Sri Lankan president to initiate urgent food and fuel relief programme

Colombo: Sri Lanka's Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe will be putting an urgent relief programme to provide fuel, gas, and essential food items to the public in motion.

The country is also in talks with Russia for fuel supply, said Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera.

Wickremesinghe discussed the matters in a meeting held with ministers and Parliament members. He has also decided to speed up the food security programme. The President will be informing the activists about the measures being taken to fight corruption.

Plans to create a necessary environment for businessmen to run their ventures without hindrance were also discussed in the meeting. He stated that the plan given by the peaceful protesters is a good one, reported ANI.

After Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has resigned from office, the Parliament will meet next week and take steps to elect a new President. A special statement from the acting President confirmed the same.

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as the interim President on Friday. Yesterday, Sri Lanka's main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa announced that he will contest the Presidential elections.

The Supreme Court has forbidden former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa from leaving the country until July 28.

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