It is also aimed that citizens will save money by not going to work one day due to increasing fuel prices.
Sri Lanka, which has experienced the biggest economic crisis of the last 70 years, has problems in the import of food, fuel and medicine. It is also stated that there is a shortage of foreign currency in the country.
There are also concerns that Sri Lanka will experience famine due to the economic crisis it is in.
There are one million public employees in the country with a population of 22 million.
‘A MEASURE AGAINST THE DANGER OF FOOD Famine’
According to the official website of the government, it is stated that the practice of working four days a week instead of five aims to encourage public employees to grow vegetables and fruits at home so that they can feed their families.
In addition, it is emphasized that it is aimed to support employees who have difficulty in going to work due to fuel shortages and increasing prices.
The following statements are used in the government’s statement:
“As a precaution against food shortages expected to occur in the future, it has been deemed appropriate to give public employees one more day off a week and to provide support that will allow them to switch to agricultural activities in the gardens of their homes or in other areas.”
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe announced that at least $5 billion is needed this year for the supply of urgently needed imported products in the country.
Negotiations between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) continue to implement an economic rescue package.
The IMF delegation is expected to travel to the capital, Columbus, on Monday.
The depreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee, the rise in global commodity prices and the ban on chemical fertilizers caused a 57 percent rise in food prices in April.
Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera called on farmers to plant more rice last month and said that the food crisis will get worse.