Economic crisis exacerbates as 70 % of the employed are impacted by poverty: Eran

• Published date: 07 September 2022
• Publication title: Sunday Times

Samgi Jana Balawegaya MP Eran Wickramaratne said that according to Census and Statistic report of year 2022, a family of five persons needs at least Rs 62,220 per month to escape poverty. But since 70% of those engaged in employment are receiving a salary of less than Rs 62,000, the economic crisis that the country is facing today, is well depicted.

Addressing the press conference held today (07) at the Office of the Leader of Opposition, the MP questioned whether it was right for the government to argue that the UNICEF report on Sri Lanka's malnutrition cannot be accepted, despite the fact that the government's official report on poverty has demonstrated that the situation has exacerbated.

Also, the World Food Program reported that about 30% of the country's population are affected by food shortages and need relief for that, and they have launched a program to supply food to Sri Lanka with international support. Further, Sri Lanka, which was known as a middle-income country with a per capita income exceeding $ 4000 in 2019, has now become a low-income country with a per capita income of $3850, which reflects the severity of the crisis, he pointed out.

Sri Lanka, which used to have a high percentage of literacy rate, after the SLPP government came in to power, has become the poorest country in Asia, because malnutrition causes, children with low intelligence to be born.

'Shouldn't this government be...