July 22, Colombo: In the face of the fuel crisis in the country, in addition to the long queues near the fuel stations, the problem of fair distribution of the fuel stocks arose due to the emergence of people selling fuel at black market prices.

Anuradha Wijekoon, Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, participating in a media conference today said various methods introduced as a solution, such as the token card system, connecting the district and local administration and the security forces for fuel distribution did not yield the desired results.

Therefore, from July 16, the government introduced the National Fuel Pass Card (QR Code) for fair distribution of fuel allocating days according to the vehicle registration number.

During the implementation of the new system, the general public had to face practical problems such as the lack of smart phones, lack of technical knowledge, inability to access the relevant website, and inability to present the QR code at a gas station, according to the Secretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.

The Secretary said the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, the National Youth Service Council and the National Youth Corps jointly started a free public awareness program on the use of the National Fuel Pass on July 19.

The Secretary said 40 -50 percent of the over 400,000 members of the Youth Society Federation, about 360 youth members of the Youth Service Council of the Youth Parliament scattered all over the island, youths scattered in the 55 district and regional centers of the National Youth Service Council and youths scattered in 55 district and regional centers of the National Youth Corps are involved in this service.

The program is operational near district and regional centers, bus stands, railway stations and petrol stations. Apart from this, the youth community of the National Youth Services Council and the Youth Society Federation will go door to door to educate the public.

Here the QR code will be downloaded to the smart phone and those who do not have a smart phone will be given printed copies of the QR code to keep with them or display in the vehicle using the technology they know. More than 100,000 people have availed this service.

Chairman and Director General of the National Youth Service Council of Sri Lanka Ravindra Samarawickrama, Chairman and Director General of the National Youth Corps Darshana Rathnayake, Secretary of the Youth Society Federation Tharindu Naleen and Minister of Public Transport of the Youth Parliament Ishan Priyaranga also participated in the news conference.