Sri Lanka applies National Fuel Pass due to shortages
Amidst the financial and public crisis of the country, the national government has decided to implement the measure at selected service stations.
Sri Lanka’s Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) confirmed that the implementation of the National Fuel Pass will start this Tuesday at selected service stations. The Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera, confirmed that the measure will be available at CEYPETCO & Lanka IOC sites across the country.
According to a series of tweets made by the government representative, the system will be based on the last digit of the car’s plate until the 1st of August. Wijesekera stated that facilities that are not having technical difficulties will be available to refuel following the aforementioned guide, with 60% of the locations already equipped and tested for its correct functioning.
This announcement is a response to the current fuel shortage that the nation has been suffering amids a financial and governmental crisis. The Fuel Pass was introduced with the intention of ensuring a weekly energy quota for drivers as the country is unable to import it in adequate quantities.
Tension has been rising in Sri Lanka after protesters began rallying in the capital, Colombo, back in April. Citizen discontent is directly related to the inflation levels the nation has been accumulating this year, recently hitting more than 54% in just six months. This has led to power cuts as well as shortages of fuel, food and medicines, according to a recent article published by the BBC, which led to protests spreading across the country and culminated with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fleeing from the country.
The country’s Fuel Pass consists of a QR-based system in which drivers register their vehicles in order to get a code based on the last digit of its plate. Depending on this number and the day, citizens will be able to refuel their vehicles by a limited quantity to ensure there is enough for everyone able on that day.
