Diesel costs Rs 528, you pay Rs 392 — is the government's Rs 41b subsidy sustainable?

The CPC chairman confirmed this month that diesel actually costs around Rs 528 a litre on the import market, but it's sold to us at Rs 392. The government covers Rs 70 of that gap and CPC itself absorbs roughly Rs 66 a litre, backed by a Rs 41 billion relief package meant to last three months. Meanwhile private importers like LIOC, Sinopec and RM Parks have been cutting back their own diesel supply since they don't get this subsidy, pushing more drivers into queues at CPC sheds. One side says this is fair relief after years of brutal hikes — buses, lorries, three-wheelers and generators all need predictable diesel, and the state absorbing some pain beats dumping it all on commuters. The other side says it's a hidden bill: CPC's losses don't vanish, they resurface later as a bigger hike, a bailout, or higher taxes once the three months are up. Is this subsidy buying us breathing room, or just delaying a bigger shock into 2027? Have you noticed CPC queues getting longer while private sheds run dry near you? ඔයාගේ පැත්තේ පොම්පවල ලයින් මාරුවෙලාද?