Sri Lanka, Jan. 26 -- Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation, Bimal Rathnayake, has affirmed that necessary steps are being taken to ensure the continued operation of SriLankan Airlines as a state-owned company.

The Minister highlighted that the previous government had planned to privatize the national carrier.

Speaking to the media following a discussion at the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, Minister Rathnayake stated:

"SriLankan Airlines was closed, sold, and destroyed. Additionally, to my knowledge, three SriLankan Airlines aircraft were grounded for three years without engines. The previous government led by Ranil Wickremesinghe paid $9 million per month to keep these aircraft grounded for three year...