Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera the government has decided to give priority to the importation of electric vehicles in the future.

He was addressing the State Ministerial Subcommittee of the Presidential Task Force on a Green Economy that provides solutions to climate change. The decision, the Minister said, was made in order to reduce air pollution in Sri Lanka.

The Minister said that the Cabinet Memorandum has been approved for this purpose and the government is also focusing on the use of electric powered, low-floor buses for passenger transport.

At present, the private sector has set up about 400 charging stations in various locations and there is a need to increase that number by another 350 or so, the Minister said.

Sri Lanka, however, has restricted the importation of vehicles due to the growing foreign exchange crisis.