Sri Lankan authorities are developing a relief programme for workers facing unemployment due to El Niño effects, as a special Cabinet subcommittee intensifies coordination efforts across affected regions.
The government is formulating support measures for individuals who may lose employment as a result of the ongoing El Niño climatic conditions affecting the island. The proposal emerged during the fourth meeting of a dedicated Cabinet subcommittee tasked with managing the national response to the weather phenomenon, held at the Presidential Secretariat on August 31.
Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi chairs the subcommittee, which brings together relevant officials to address multiple dimensions of the crisis. Discussions centred on vulnerable communities facing livelihood disruption and the mechanisms required to provide financial or employment assistance to affected workers. Simultaneously, authorities are developing strategies to shield agricultural production, particularly focusing on vegetable and fruit cultivation, to prevent domestic food shortages.
Six districts currently experience El Niño-related hardship. The subcommittee reviewed existing programmes aimed at ensuring continuous water supply to these areas, recognising that reliable access to water remains critical for maintaining community services and economic activity. To address agricultural concerns, officials scheduled a media briefing for September 4 to outline preparations for the approaching Maha cultivation season, the island's main agricultural cycle.
Further coordination will occur through a video conference with district secretaries and district coordinating committee chairs in the six impacted zones. The subcommittee is scheduled to reconvene on September 14 to assess progress on relief measures and adaptation strategies. The government's multifaceted approach reflects mounting concern over the breadth of El Niño's potential consequences across employment, agriculture, and essential services.