COLOMBO: Sri Lanka is awaiting confirmation from India on a new credit line that would allow the cash-strapped island nation to have fuel supplies for the next four months. “We did receive unofficial communication on a new credit line for fuel three to four weeks ago, so far no official confirmation of it being made available,” Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said on Friday.
He said the anticipated US $500 million line of credit facility from India would enable the country to have supplies of petrol and diesel for the next four months. Meanwhile, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation said the final shipment of diesel under the existing Indian Line of Credit of US $700 million for fuel arrived on Thursday.
The refilling stations are experiencing long queues with the government cutting down on issues to manage the crisis. PM Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he will soon present to Parliament a roadmap for overcoming the ongoing economic crisis that has led to an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and fuel across the debt-ridden nation.