NPP to Boost Economy by Focusing on Key Growth Sectors

News Today: Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledges to revive the economy by focusing on Tourism, Fisheries, IT, and Agriculture sectors.

NPP Presidential Candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promised to revive Sri Lanka’s economy by focusing on Tourism, Fisheries, IT, and Agriculture. Speaking to supporters, he stressed the importance of government intervention in these sectors. Dissanayake vowed to double the annual tourist figure, currently at 2.3 million, by targeting the Indian and Chinese markets, with 400 million and 120 million potential tourists, respectively. He highlighted Sri Lanka’s beaches, wildlife, and ancient civilization as key attractions.

Addressing the struggles of the fishing industry, Dissanayake pledged government support to reduce costs for fishermen. He also emphasized plans to create 200,000 software engineers to boost the IT sector.

Criticizing past leaders for ruining the production economy, Dissanayake pledged to stop unnecessary imports. He cited the example of egg imports, where commissions benefit MPs more than local production. He noted that Sri Lanka once exported coconut oil but now imports it due to commissions.

The NPP government, he explained, would focus on a production-based economy by halting land leases to large-scale companies and instead providing them to farmers for agricultural development.