Sri Lanka, Aug. 15 -- Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe has warned that if large-scale paddy millers create a shortage of Keeri Samba rice, the government plans to import 40,000 metric tons of substitute rice by December.

The Minister made the statement at a press conference that followed a development committee meeting at the Anuradhapura District Secretariat yesterday (14).

Meanwhile, Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Ratnayake announced that Rs. 350 million has been allocated to construct protective iron fences in winding and unsafe areas in the Central Province.

He made the statement after a district coordination meeting in Nuwara Eliya yesterday.

The work is scheduled to begin in September.

During the committee meeting in An...