State Minister of Finance, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, has revealed that over 44,000 vehicles have been released to the local market despite an existing ban on vehicle imports.
According to the State Minister, a total of 44,430 vehicles were released during the period when import restrictions were in place. This includes 38,144 motorcycles and 6,286 cars.
The disclosure was made during a recent discussion held at the Ministry of Finance with a group of local vehicle manufacturers. During the meeting, there was an in-depth discussion on the possibility of granting permission for vehicle imports.
Representatives from domestic vehicle manufacturing companies emphasized that while considering the removal of import restrictions, the government should also support the local vehicle assembly industry.