The Prime Minister was speaking at the inaugural session of the fourth Youth Parliament at the Parliamentary Chamber of National Youth Services Council (NYSC) yesterday.

Out of the 225 members of the Youth Parliament, 176 have been elected and 49 representatives were chosen from universities and youth organizations. Jalitha Akarawita was sworn in as the Prime Minister while Sachinda Dulanjana was sworn in as the Speaker of the Youth Parliament.

The Premier said that the ‘Colombo-Kandy-Hambanthota Corridor’ would be constructed to create an economically favourable atmosphere and measures would be taken to establish around 1,000 factories island-wide. Industrial zones and Tourism zones will also be created based in main cities such as Galle, Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa whereas projects will be executed to uplift the economy in the Northern Province as well, he added.

The Prime Minister said: “The period from 2016 to 2020 is known as the period with the heaviest debt burdens and Sri Lanka is liable to pay around US $4 billion for the period 2017 to 2018.

Also national income of the country has dropped from 17 percent GDP to 10 percent GDP” He also said that a programme would be conducted to create a sustainable economy in collaboration with the aid from International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Under the consensus Government, plans will be implemented under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena to build a sustainable economy for the youth population and for future generations.

NYSC Chairman Attorney-at-Law Eranda Waliange said that a total of Rs. 120,000,000 had been allocated to the third Youth Parliament and the funds were utilized efficiently in providing social service.

Justice and Buddha Sasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and National Policies and Economic Affairs State Minister Niroshan Perera also participated.(CDN)