COLOMBO, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's cabinet has approved a fuel subsidy for fishing boats to ease pressure on the country's fisheries sector amid rising global fuel prices, the Fisheries Ministry said on Tuesday.
The ministry said the subsidy will take effect from April 20. Under the scheme, small fishing boats will receive 50 rupees (about 0.17 U.S. dollars) per liter of fuel, while multi-day fishing vessels will receive 150,000 rupees per voyage.
The decision followed a special discussion held on Sunday on the severe difficulties facing Sri Lanka's fisheries sector due to higher fuel prices in the global market and disruptions to fuel supplies linked to tensions in the Middle East, the ministry said. ■
