Colombo: Sri Lanka today said it is mulling to take back some 99 strategic oil storage tanks leased to the Indian Oil Company's local unit Lanka IOC in the eastern port district of Trincomalee in 2002.
Accusing the main opposition United National Party (UNP) of privatising state-owned enterprises during their rule, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told parliament that his government was bent on preserving the state enterprises under state control.
“Our oil storage tanks located in Trincomalee were privatised. We are currently having talks to take them back (under state control)”, Rajapaksa told parliament during his 2104 budget speech in his capacity as the Minister of Finance.
Some 99 oil storage tanks were leased to the Indian Oil Company's local unit Lanka IOC in 2002 by the then government headed by Ranil Wickramnesinghe, the current leader of the main opposition UNP.
