📊 CoPF Approves Rs. 71.7 Bn Relief Package to Cushion Economic Impact

• Overall Allocation: Parliament’s Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) approved Supplementary Estimate No. 03 of 2026 for Rs. 71.7 Bn to mitigate economic fallout from Middle East conflict. Financed entirely from unutilised Cyclone Ditwah relief funds, it requires no increase in 2026 total expenditure or borrowing limits. • Energy & Petroleum Sector: A major share of Rs. 52.8 Bn is directed to the petroleum sector to cover higher landing costs and maintain fuel supplies. April 2026 fuel subsidies alone totaled ~Rs. 20.5 Bn (CPC: Rs. 15 Bn, Lanka IOC: Rs. 2.34 Bn, Sinopec: Rs. 1.5 Bn, RM Parks: Rs. 1.67 Bn). An additional Rs. 15 Bn is earmarked for electricity generation. • Agriculture, Tea & Fisheries: Support includes Rs. 3 Bn for Yala season agriculture, Rs. 2.2 Bn for smallholder plantation farmers including tea growers, and Rs. 1.2 Bn for the fisheries sector. • Welfare & Contingency: Rs. 18.9 Bn replenishes the Budget contingency reserve, while Rs. 8.2 Bn is allocated to the Aswesuma welfare scheme for vulnerable households.