Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· Gampaha

Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning

Profession: ---

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Speeches 368 #11 of 225·#5 in party

Attendance 5/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

368 speeches

4 March 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha stated that all individuals are subject to tax law under the Government’s framework, including those engaged in online or other forms of business. He acknowledged practical and technical difficulties in tracing and enforcing tax collection, but said the Government is not exempting such taxpayers and will move progressively to improve enforcement. Ministerial Statement: Online Safety Act and tax on export services Public Finance Read →
4 March 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha explained that the proposed 15 per cent tax rate on export services was negotiated under the IMF programme, alongside the removal of some measures such as the Imputed Rental Income Tax. He argued that residents should pay tax on income earned locally or abroad subject to thresholds, while export service income receives a concession compared with ordinary income tax slabs. He stated that routing such earnings through banks is required to verify eligibility under self-assessment, and framed the measure as consistent with tax fairness and global efforts to address cross-border tax avoidance. Ministerial Statement: Online Safety Act and tax on export services Public Finance Read →
3 March 2025 AI summary Energy was presented as central to the Budget, economic development, and national security, with clarification that the Adani power proposal was referred for Cabinet review because of concerns over the agreed tariff of 8.26 US cents per kWh, while investment remains open and transparent. The Minister rejected claims of overcharging on fuel, stating that prices follow the formula, and called for authenticated evidence to be submitted for investigation where corruption is alleged. He outlined plans for a 2025 Energy Transition Act, a Results Delivery Framework for 2025-2026, and reforms including digitalized procurement, a green hydrogen agency, a National Energy Policy Planning Office, and land-use coordination. The policy objective is to reduce average energy costs by one-third within two to three years while moving towards 70 percent renewables and net-zero by 2050. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 119 (Ministry of Energy) EnvironmentPublic FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
3 March 2025 AI summary Minister Anil Jayantha raised a matter of privilege concerning a newspaper report claiming that a 15 per cent tax would be imposed on overseas workers’ remittances, which he said was falsely attributed to him. He stated that the Government had made clear, in the context of the 2025 Appropriation Bill and the Inland Revenue Act amendment Bill, that no income tax would be levied on such remittances. He argued that the report damaged his reputation, misled the public, discouraged lawful remittance channels, and breached parliamentary privilege, and requested that those responsible be summoned before the Committee on Ethics and Privileges and that legal action be taken. Matter of Privilege: News Report in Sathi Aga Aruna Newspaper Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
1 March 2025 AI summary There is no fuel shortage, and the Government will not allow one to occur, though queues have formed due to public sentiment and unusually high dealer orders. The Minister said the CPC is engaging directly with dealers and that reports of non-distribution came through social media rather than official channels. He defended the new fuel pricing formula, stating it was developed after consultation and modelling, gives dealers a fairer margin based on CPC costs excluding taxes, and that attempts to create a crisis appear politically motivated. Debate: Fuel Supply and Energy Crisis (Discussion under Standing Order 27(2)) Public FinanceCost of Living Read →
1 March 2025 AI summary The Minister stated that recent queues at fuel stations were not due to a shortage of stocks but to panic created amid a dispute over dealer commissions. He explained that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is implementing a revised commission formula, following audit findings and Court of Appeal proceedings, to prevent commissions being calculated on tax components of fuel prices. He said dealers had continued placing orders, but a small group appeared to have restricted distribution and spread concern through social media. He assured that the revised margins remain fair, with additional allowances for remote distribution, and that the Government will ensure uninterrupted fuel supply. Debate: Fuel Supply and Energy Crisis (Discussion under Standing Order 27(2)) Public FinanceCost of Living Read →
28 February 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha corrected Opposition claims about Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves, citing Central Bank figures showing reserves of about USD 6.12 billion at end-December 2024 and around USD 6.065 billion at end-January 2025, rather than a fall from USD 6 billion to USD 5.7 billion. He said “usable” reserve qualifications and banking arrangements also existed under the previous administration, and argued that reserves fluctuate with imports and debt servicing. He stated that the Government aims to build reserves sustainably through export promotion, particularly services exports, and foreign direct investment, targeting USD 15 billion. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate (Defence & Public Security Heads) Public Finance Read →
25 February 2025 AI summary Prof. Anil Jayantha said the Government is working through a task force to meet financial derisking obligations, including exiting the FATF Grey List by mid-2026, and plans to introduce the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Act and amend the Marketing Board Act. He defended the Budget’s Rs. 749 billion social protection allocation, including Aswesuma, as a targeted response to poverty affecting over half the population and as part of a broader effort to stabilize the economy. He outlined allocations for vulnerable children, drug rehabilitation, reintegration of former prisoners, support for persons with disabilities, and Rs. 37 billion for housing, while stating that the Budget does not impose new special taxes or increase VAT and instead focuses on reliefs and improved revenue collection. Second Reading Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 (Continuation Day 7) Public FinanceLand & HousingWomen & Children Read →
25 February 2025 AI summary Minister Anil Jayantha defended the 2025 Appropriation Bill as a fiscally disciplined Budget that authorizes Rs. 7,190 billion in expenditure, with Rs. 4,990 billion in revenue and grants, a Rs. 2,200 billion deficit, and total borrowing authority of Rs. 4,000 billion, down from Rs. 7,350 billion in 2024. He said the deficit would be financed through non-monetary borrowing rather than new taxes or inflationary money creation, while also covering debt amortization and Treasury bill and bond redemption costs. Responding to Opposition claims that it was an “IMF Budget” or “Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Budget,” he argued that it differs from past budgets by limiting discretionary contingency allocations under the Public Finance Management Act and redirecting funds to development, relief, and infrastructure. He stated that the Government’s economic approach combines fiscal discipline with state intervention, productivity growth, export orientation, global supply chain integration, fair distribution, and broader participation in economic benefits. Second Reading Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 (Continuation Day 7) Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
25 February 2025 AI summary The Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development presented the 2023 Annual Report of the Shrama Vasana Fund to Parliament. He proposed that the report be referred to the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour, and the motion was agreed to. Papers Presented Parliamentary Procedure Read →
22 February 2025 AI summary The Minister replied to a Standing Order 27(2) question on foreign reserves and debt servicing, stating that reserve growth came mainly from Central Bank foreign exchange purchases, IMF EFF disbursements, and multilateral/bilateral project and programme loans, with official reserves rising from US$4.392 billion at end-2023 to US$6.122 billion at end-2024. He said Sri Lanka’s total external debt at end-2024 was about US$100.294 billion, and provided projected external principal and interest payments for 2025–2028, noting that the Government is primarily responsible for servicing debt and may request reserve releases from the Central Bank if needed. He cited IMF staff report projections showing reserves rising to US$15.105 billion by 2028, clarifying that these are revised projections rather than fixed EFF targets, while the programme’s performance criterion is Net International Reserves, which Sri Lanka has met in the first three reviews. He also said that under the State Debt Management Act, debt management responsibilities have moved to the State Debt Management Department from 25 November 2024, with a technical transition from Central Bank systems expected over about 18 months. Ministerial Statement: Foreign Reserves and Debt Servicing, with Points of Order and Procedural Matters Public FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
19 February 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha outlined the status and funding of the Aswesuma programme, stating that 1,800,032 families had been selected by year-end and that a further 0.8 million applications would be reviewed through village-level committees. He said 2025 expenditure for Aswesuma would total Rs. 232.5 billion, including Rs. 72 billion in World Bank support, and that the nature of that support would be verified. He also described poverty-reduction plans to integrate low-income families into productive economic activity, with allocations for empowering 25,000 families and village-level production. On trade, he set out export promotion measures including the National Export Development Plan 2025–2029, a US$ 19 billion export target for 2025, economic diplomacy, trade digitalization, infrastructure improvements and industrial zone development. Question by Private Notice (Standing Order 27(2)): Data on Poverty, Aswesuma Programme and Law and Order EmploymentCost of LivingForeign Affairs Read →
19 February 2025 AI summary The Minister outlined the poverty and census data used in preparing the Budget, including official poverty lines, HIES 2019, the Multidimensional Poverty Index 2019 and a 2023 household survey, and gave timelines for forthcoming statistical releases. He said the next HIES will run from January 2025 to January 2026, with reports due in June and August 2026, and updated Parliament on the Population and Housing Census, including delays in Colombo and Gampaha and a preliminary enumeration report due on 5 March 2025. On Aswesuma, he stated that cash transfers alone cannot eradicate poverty and that the Government is developing an integrated, data-driven poverty-exit approach, while acknowledging beneficiary selection issues and describing the appeals and additional application processes. Question by Private Notice (Standing Order 27(2)): Data on Poverty, Aswesuma Programme and Law and Order EmploymentCost of LivingPublic Finance Read →
18 February 2025 AI summary The Minister rejected a claim that he had described the ARDL autoregressive model as the Government’s economic model, stating that it is a statistical tool rather than an economic model. He argued that older production-function and macroeconomic models cited in debate are being overtaken by behavioural, complexity and AI-based approaches, and said the Government’s economic model should be assessed over its five-year term before being defined or labelled. Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
18 February 2025 AI summary The Minister sought permission to make a brief clarification after his name was mentioned by another Member. The Speaker granted permission for him to proceed. Adjourned Debate on Second Reading of the 2025 Budget Parliamentary Procedure Read →
23 January 2025 AI summary Vehicle imports in 2025 will be managed to support economic expansion while staying within IMF-related reserve constraints and prioritizing passenger, goods, and private transport needs. The Minister stated that the Government has not decided to cancel or invalidate vehicle permits for eligible officials, but allowing all estimated 15,000–20,000 outstanding permits at once would undermine 2025 economic targets. He said any review of past permit arrangements as compensation for inadequate pay or benefits would be considered separately. Oral Question: IMF-related Economic Measures and Vehicle Imports Policy Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
23 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha stated that vehicle imports would be reopened only gradually under the IMF programme, prioritizing economically essential transport and goods transport before private vehicles. He said foreign reserves, though above USD 6 billion, could not be used to meet accumulated demand at once, and decisions would be guided by the Finance Ministry and Central Bank. He rejected claims that price increases were intended to protect leasing companies, explaining that revisions followed IMF-consistent inflation indexation of administered prices and were not made to benefit any specific group. Oral Question: IMF-related Economic Measures and Vehicle Imports Policy Public FinanceInfrastructure Read →
23 January 2025 AI summary On behalf of the Minister, Prof. Anil Jayantha confirmed that an IMF official had commented on social spending and stated that Rs. 205 billion was allocated for 2024, of which Rs. 159.5 billion, or 77.5 per cent, had been spent. He said the allocation was part of broader welfare spending across more than 38 programmes, but acknowledged that fiscal limits and weaknesses in beneficiary identification, data collection, verification, and implementation of the Social Welfare Information System had delayed disbursement. He added that interim short-term measures would begin from 25 January 2025 to address eligible persons who had been left out. Oral Question: IMF-related Economic Measures and Vehicle Imports Policy Public FinanceCost of Living Read →
23 January 2025 AI summary Prof. Anil Jayantha stated that the Government would conduct detailed cost analyses to identify non-value-added activities and skills gaps for reform. He emphasized that efficiency and cost reduction in banking would be pursued through gradual digitalization and technology adoption, while maintaining selective physical outreach and considering international expansion. Oral Question No. 3 & 4 – 149/2024 & 176/2024: Bank of Ceylon Financial Status and Performance Public FinanceEmployment Read →
23 January 2025 AI summary The Minister stated that return on equity in State banks should be assessed through a detailed decomposition analysis to identify operational drivers, including administrative cost impacts. He noted that financial conditions are stabilizing and emphasized the importance of a sound financial system, with State banks playing a major role. He also said past appointments to bank governing bodies had included unqualified or inexperienced persons, and cited the appointment of the current Bank of Ceylon Chairman, a former Citibank Country Director, as an example of merit-based selection. Oral Question No. 3 & 4 – 149/2024 & 176/2024: Bank of Ceylon Financial Status and Performance Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →