The Hon. Kins Nelson

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, on the 7th the Hon. President presented the 80th Budget speech. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on it. One cannot understand the present without studying the past; and without understanding the present correctly, one cannot build the future.

¶ 02 Looking at the 2025 Budget, we must examine what proposals were there and which have become reality by now. The 2025 Budget was the President’s maiden Budget. It had 57 identified proposals with Rs. 692.9 billion allocated, and he spoke about 24 Ministries. Yet regarding five essential Ministries—the Labour Ministry; Energy; Environment; Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism; and Defence—he did not set out any proposals. On national security, there is an issue, whether or not Government Ministers admit it. Today we do not know when or where shootings may occur—this is a national security concern. Yet in 2025 there were no new proposals for those five Ministries. For tourism, only Rs. 500 million was allocated, with minimal progress.

¶ 03 Last month the US Government advised its citizens against travel to Sri Lanka. Our Foreign Affairs Ministry or Defence Ministry issued no statement. We talk about tourists and dollars, yet a powerful country tells its tourists not to come here due to landmines and bombs. Attention must be paid to this.

¶ 04 Presenting the 2026 Budget, the President spoke for 4 hours and 45 minutes, yet again did not address four Ministries including Defence. Is the Defence Ministry now forgotten? He thinks national security is fine. He knows its importance, but we are pointing out the shortcomings so attention will be paid.

¶ 05 On 2025 projects and funds: Agriculture had Rs. 500 million allocated for a loan scheme to create 50,000 small and medium young entrepreneurs in five years. How many were selected in 2025? Only 28, with Rs. 500 million allocated. Do not do such things. It is a good program, but allocating funds and not implementing results in money going back to the Treasury.

¶ 06 For Sports, Rs. 500 million was allocated; progress is 10 percent. Rs. 750 million was allocated to buy a waste removal machine for the Anuradhapura PS area; progress is zero. We highlight these because we must see what from the maiden 2025 Budget has actually been implemented. Shortcomings in a maiden Budget are possible, but not in the second. A Government should not have such lapses even in the first. Build confidence among the people by focusing on this.

¶ 07 I also raise the human-elephant conflict. Even in the 9th Parliament I spoke continuously about it. In my Polonnaruwa District, it persists. No Government could control it. You came to power promising a 24-hour solution. I recall how all TV channels were used then to show elephants being driven back and electric fences being put up. What is the result now? The President’s speech itself stated that this year 260 elephants and 80 people have died.

¶ 08 In Polonnaruwa there are 1,172 km of elephant fences; nationwide 5,620 km. In 2025, Rs. 400 million was allocated for maintenance and batteries, not new fences; progress is 50 percent. Elephants die, people die, and property is damaged. In 2026, Rs. 300 million is allocated again for this. Give special attention to reduce the conflict.

¶ 09 On agriculture: Rs. 10 billion is allocated for paddy purchases and Rs. 36.9 billion for fertilizer subsidies. Fine. But did you give the fertilizer subsidy on time for the last Yala season? A Deputy Minister claimed the per-hectare subsidy was increased from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000. In fact, it was former President Ranil Wickremesinghe who increased it to Rs. 25,000; give credit where due. But the subsidy was not given on time. They now say farmers’ problems are solved. I know the farmers’ issues. In my district, onion farmers are desperate. Production cost per kilo is Rs. 160; market price is Rs. 110-120. When they take onions to Dambulla at Rs. 110, the price is slashed to Rs. 70-80. What should be done? The Government must focus on this.

¶ 10 For a time farmers were in extreme hardship. The Government set guaranteed prices for paddy—Rs. 105 for wet paddy and Rs. 120 for dried paddy. No Government in history set a guaranteed price for wet paddy. As a result, overall paddy prices fell. Farmers, lacking financial strength, sell at harvest, and cannot wait for 14-percent moisture to get Rs. 120. Because of the wet paddy price of Rs. 105, wet paddy sold at Rs. 70-80. I told the Deputy Minister and the Agriculture Minister that this time in the Budget remove the wet paddy guaranteed price to correct the market. Please pay attention.

¶ 11 On dairy: Rs. 2,500 million was allocated in 2025 to strengthen domestic dairy farmers. Has it strengthened them? In my district, two dairy cows of a farmer were seized by Wildlife officers and the courts fined Rs. 30,000 per cow. I previously proposed that, in addition to allocations, provide grazing lands for dairy herds. Farmers have nowhere to graze; when they enter wildlife areas, officers seize the animals and fine them. In 2026, Rs. 1,000 million is allocated to strengthen dairy farmers. No matter how much you allocate, it is pointless unless implemented properly.

¶ 12 At today’s Sectoral Oversight Committee on the Environment, the DG of the Department of Wildlife Conservation stated that in 2025 Rs. 406 million is allocated to the Department and Rs. 1,194 million from the Wildlife Fund, but progress is only 30 percent. We have 26 national parks; only 19 are open. Are the internal roads motorable? Can tourists access tourist bungalows? He admitted they cannot. Outside Yala, private bungalows charge Rs. 75,000-80,000 per day; I am not saying charge Rs. 100,000 for park bungalows, but at least maintain access and facilities. Large sums are allocated; Ministers say so. I question the officials. Ministers must ensure departmental funds are actually used within the year. Please focus on this.

¶ 13 On prisons: In 2025, Rs. 845 million was allocated to fix shortcomings and reduce congestion. Yet, Colombo Remand Prison capacity is 1,400 while 3,579 are held. In my Polonnaruwa Prison, capacity is 149, but 495 are held. The sanitation system is destroyed and overflows into a field in front of the Speaker’s house; he knows this. I asked about it in Parliament. Rs. 845 million was allocated—have these been fixed? They have not. We cannot keep saying “maiden Budget—we didn’t know.”

¶ 14 Your time is over, Hon. Member.

¶ 15 I will conclude, Hon. Presiding Member. In the 2024 presidential election, our Leader Hon. Sajith Premadasa and your Leader Hon. Anura Kumara Dissanayake contested. Our Leader lost; your Leader became President. The people accepted that only Anura Kumara Dissanayake could do this. Therefore, stop saying, “We took over a fallen, bankrupt country.” If you bring good measures in this House, we will support them. As an Opposition MP, I will raise both hands and vote in favour of any progressive action for the country. In particular, we will support measures to eradicate narcotics. Thank you for the opportunity; I conclude.