ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka can consider increasing fuel quotas for full time threewheeler (tuktuk) drivers who register themselves at their local police stations, Power & Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said.
Responding to questions posed by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in parliament on Tuesday September 06, Wijesekara said that initial steps have been taken to increase the five-litres-per-week fuel quota issued to threewheeler drivers who have installed a meter on their vehicle and are registered with their local police station.
“We asked them to register with the police because it will make it easier to identify those who drive threewheelers as a full time business,” Wijesekara said.
Threewheeler drivers in the country have been complaining of the meagre fuel quota, saying that it is not adequate to run hires, after allegedly contributing to the fuel shortage by mass hoarding and black market activities during a forex crisis that made it difficult to import essentials.
Threewheeler fares have also gone steeply up.
Premadasa questioned why certain organisations who hire out threewheelers as a business get a fuel quota of 15 litres a week when independent drivers only get five.
“You must think of the common man too,” Premadasa said.
Wijesekara replied that the change was done according to the requests of various threewheeler associations, after discussions.
“Though the quotas are not enough when compared to the unlimited fuel given before the economic crisis, due to the unavailability of forex we have no other choice. Finding solutions in a short time has also been difficult,” Wijesekara said.
Wijesekara said that the fuel quotas were decided after examining the number of registered vehicles in the country as well as their tank capacity and how far they can run on a certain level of fuel.
It was decided to give priority to the manufacturing, public transport, fisheries, agriculture, and essential services industries, who play a significant role in the food security, public transport, and economic activities of the country, he said.
Ceylon Transport Board buses, private buses and trains were given prominence in the transport sector, he said.
It was estimated that Sri Lanka would need at least 3,000 MT of petrol to cover the daily needs.
Wijesekara also responded to a question by Premadasa regarding financial relief for threewheeler drivers who were unable to earn enough to even pay off their leases due to the lack of sufficient fuel.
He said that the CBSL had already paved the way for fair interest rates and relief facilities. (Colombo/Sep06/2022)