Sri Lanka, Sept. 14 -- The government will abolish the Value Added Tax on school books as part of broader efforts to ease financial pressures on families, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced.

The proposal is expected to be detailed in the upcoming Budget, Dissanayake stated during a public rally in Nochchiyagama.

Plans are already being drawn up to remove the tax, underscoring the commitment of the administration to reducing everyday costs for the public, Dissanayake stated.

The government will absorb 121,000 new recruits into the state sector, including around 23,000 teachers, Dissanayake revealed in addition to tax relief.

Strengthening the economy would enable greater investment in education and other areas critical to the...