Colombo, Aug 28 (IANS): Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardena told an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Peter Breuer and Masahiro Nozaki that the country's social security net needs to be enhanced when an agreement is reached with the IMF.

In a press statement released on Sunday, the Prime Minister's Media Division said the country is facing the biggest economic and social crisis since independence, Xinhua news agency reported.

The prime minister told the IMF delegation that Sri Lanka has taken steps to cut down on imports and boost exports.

"The poor are the most adversely affected by the crisis. We need to provide them social welfare during the economic reforms," Gunawardena told the IMF delegation.

Prime Minister's Media Division said IMF's Masahiro Nozaki agreed that the welfare of vulnerable groups is important when making plans for debt restructuring and economic revitalisation.

The IMF delegation earlier met Nandalal Weerasinghe, governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, president of Sri Lanka.