The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa - Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, I thank you for the opportunity to speak as a Cabinet Minister during the inaugural Budget of the National People’s Power Government. In 2015, as an Opposition MP, I began my first Budget speech by quoting the then Finance Minister of your Government, Hon. Ronnie de Mel, from the Hansard of 15.11.1977, on the Appropriation Bill. He said:

¶ 02 “We cannot wallow forever in the morass of economic decline. We cannot, like the Gypsies, wander the world forever. When domestic and foreign debt burdens rise to Himalayan heights, we must immediately leap out from the stagnant pool of poverty. That is the purpose for which this Budget is presented to this august House and to the people—to lift the country once again from the morass into which it has fallen. I commend this first effort to rescue our nation to this House and to the public.”

¶ 03 He presented many Budgets thereafter. But after 45 years of that policy direction, what did that path bring us when you look at the balance sheet of our country?

¶ 04 By 2022, revenue had fallen to 7.2% of GDP; the country declared bankruptcy and default; people were shot in the fields; with the Indian Credit Line, substandard drugs blinded people and were looted; corruption soared; our image broke to where countries would not grant visas; reserves collapsed—your own Finance Minister Ali Sabry once said if he spoke of the reserves then, some would faint. From that country, the people entrusted us with power, approving our manifesto “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life” at the Presidential and General Elections. This Budget is based on that policy.

¶ 05 Now, Opposition MPs—especially from the party of the Leader of the Opposition, many of whom were Cabinet and State Ministers—say this is “Ranil’s Budget” (Harsha de Silva), “former JVP leaders and members dedicated to Marxism and socialism have betrayed their ideals” (Kabir Hashim), “a shift to an open-economy model,” “a right-wing budget,” or that it is a “new-liberal approach pretending to be socialist.” They say they cannot figure it out. Hon. Mano Ganesan said it is envy—it is that they like this document, but they fear its implementation. They pray we will not implement it, because if we do and uplift lives and develop the country, they will be exposed. That is why there is no substantive critique—only that “we too planned something like this.”

¶ 06 We inherited a country in a pit. We are pulling it out with ropes from the very mouth of that pit. When we attempt that, you say you also planned to do the same—but you could not; that is why people gave it to us.

¶ 07 There is one sentence you neither could do nor still grasp. Under “Foundations of Budget 2025” it states:

¶ 08 “The Government must ensure fair competition by creating equal opportunities for all and preventing excessive concentration of market power.”

¶ 09 In short, democratizing the economy. You always failed here. To enable everyone equal opportunity to contribute to, and benefit from, the economy—preventing excessive market concentration—the Government must guarantee this. We are prioritizing it.

¶ 10 Many on the Opposition side do business even while in politics, some even during ministerial tenure, sometimes hiding behind relatives’ names. Are your businesses in loss now? No. You continue to profit in business, but when you hold Cabinet office, the State and its institutions lose. Why? Because you use ministerial power to violate equal opportunity—tilting the field in favor of your enterprises, blocking citizens who wait for fair access. Thus your businesses profit while the country and ministries lose.

¶ 11 We are striking at that. Hence the emphasis on economic democratization. We can do this because no one here seeks personal gain from their MP, State Minister or Cabinet posts. We are a collective devoted to building the country. That devotion is the number one reason this Budget will succeed.

¶ 12 Before elections, no one here worked for a promised post. We worked singly, organizationally, collectively to gain public trust. Our 3% vote share once became 6.8 million votes because persistent quantitative engagement transformed qualitatively. Those who think they can now get 2.5% and take power are dreaming; the mode of engagement has changed. The same dedication we used to build trust will now be applied to governing and rebuilding the country—that is why this document will become reality.

¶ 13 Some say: there is no constitutional reform in the Budget. We clearly stated during elections: until a new Constitution is drafted, we will neither strengthen nor weaken the current one (19th/20th context); once stability is established, with adequate public consultation and Parliamentary debate, we will bring a new Constitution. First, we must stabilize the economy, strengthen SMEs, give relief, and rebuild reserves. Then we’ll proceed with constitutional reform. So it is no great fault that the Budget document does not carry constitutional proposals.

¶ 14 Now to correct misconceptions on salary increases. Hon. Nalin Bandara said some will see pay cuts by April. We plan a total salary bill increase of Rs. 325 billion, with Rs. 110 billion in 2025 specifically for public service salaries. There will be a basic salary increase. Public servants know basic pay rises flow into gross pay, OT, extra duty, PH, day’s pay, and bank loan eligibility. They warmly welcome this.

¶ 15 They ask: where is the money? The President, as Finance Minister, with Treasury officials, held many discussions to structure this basic pay rise. No one’s take-home will reduce.

¶ 16 Examples from Health: - Paramedical Service MT-6 Grade III: basic from Rs. 32,080 to Rs. 54,120; average gross from Rs. 103,480 to Rs. 132,040; that is +Rs. 22,040 basic and +Rs. 28,560 gross. - Nursing MT-7 Grade III: basic from Rs. 32,525 to Rs. 54,920; gross from Rs. 104,481 to Rs. 133,640; +Rs. 22,395 basic and +Rs. 29,159 gross. - Paramedical Special Grade: basic from Rs. 51,545 to Rs. 56,800. - Nursing Special Grade: basic from Rs. 54,235 to Rs. 86,800.

¶ 17 Hon. Deputy Chairperson: Two more minutes.

¶ 18 I request five minutes, Hon. Deputy Chairperson.

¶ 19 Doctors: - A Medical Officer’s basic from Rs. 54,290 to Rs. 94,150; gross from Rs. 232,725 to Rs. 277,800; +Rs. 39,860 basic and +Rs. 45,075 gross.

¶ 20 On allowances (extra duty, OT, PH, day’s pay): Government decided to raise basic pay in three stages due to the economic and Treasury situation—April 2025 (Stage 1), January 2026 (Stage 2), and January 2027 (Stage 3). The computation basis for OT, extra duty, PH, and day’s pay will be the fully-completed increased basic of January 2027, applied from April 2025 for calculation purposes. Therefore, allowances will be computed against the 2027 full basic, not merely the April 2025 portion.

¶ 21 Accordingly: - Non-practising/continuous duty hourly rates increase—for Allied Health, from Rs. 198 to Rs. 267; for Supplementary staff OT from Rs. 201 to Rs. 271; nurses’ hourly from Rs. 203 to Rs. 275; doctors’ hourly from Rs. 679 to Rs. 765. - Day’s pay/PH allowance per hour: Paramedical from Rs. 1,582 to Rs. 1,777; Supplementary from Rs. 1,604 to Rs. 1,804; Nurses from Rs. 1,626 to Rs. 1,831; Doctors from Rs. 2,715 to Rs. 3,058. OT and extra duty also increase accordingly.

¶ 22 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha: I received a letter from the GMOA yesterday addressed by their President. Either you must clarify this with the GMOA; there seems to be a discrepancy between what you state and what they understand. I will send you the letter and table it. Please meet them and resolve it.

¶ 23 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa: Such meetings are scheduled. On the 27th at 5.00 p.m., the President will also meet them; today at noon I meet Allied Health. Anyone saying take-home will be lower is utterly false. Basic rises, and since allowances are computed against the fully completed January 2027 basic from April 2025, all those items—extra duty, OT, PH, day’s pay—will rise.

¶ 24 Further, annual increments will rise by 80%—e.g., from Rs. 250 to Rs. 450—so totals will be even higher than the averages I cited, given varying categories.

¶ 25 It is also false that changes to OT/extra duty calculations will alter an officer’s cadre status. Cadre status is not determined by 100/200/80/120-hour thresholds. The Public Administration Minister concurs—no cadre status changes arise from this revision.

¶ 26 On the CBSO every-10-years scheme: proposals do not affect current health services including nurses; their existing 5/8-year schemes continue unchanged.

¶ 27 Also, some former officials who fast-tracked permits under President Ranil Wickremesinghe now spread lies that increases come only after three years. The first pay rise is this April; the second comes eight months later in January next year; and another 12 months after—within 20 months the basic increase is fully implemented, not three years.

¶ 28 We have allocated Rs. 110 billion now. We also expect higher public service engagement. As Hon. Ravi Karunanayake noted, with capital expenditure we aim to give the economy a push, grow GDP, and let benefits flow further to the people. Do not fear—this is a substantial increase within current conditions. Let us move forward, and do not fall for falsehoods.

¶ 29 Hon. Ravi Karunanayake: You said Rs. 110 billion has been allocated for the salary increases. In 2015, when we raised pay by Rs. 10,000, we allocated Rs. 136 billion. Has something been under-provisioned across heads?

¶ 30 The Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa: I will conclude with this. If anyone finds their April take-home less than now, please come and tell us; we will find where it was held up. This Government has ensured everyone’s take-home rises from April.

¶ 31 Thank you.

¶ 32 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees: Next, Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka. You have 22 minutes.