The Hon. P. Ruwan Senarath - Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to speak on our Government’s second Budget—the 80th national Budget of Sri Lanka. Our first, the 79th, was presented on 17 February this year by President Anura Dissanayake. Previously, Finance Ministers presented 78 Budgets; among them, President Rajapaksa as Finance Minister presented 11—the most.

¶ 02 Those now in Opposition sat on this side a year ago and presented many Budgets. Now they say our second Budget has no goals or plan. I wonder if they actually studied it, or are just reading lines under stress. The Opposition Leader’s remark that this Budget was not prepared “from the ground” is being circulated—did he study it? Some “economy experts” on that side admitted unexpected growth, a surplus Treasury, and that their earlier claims were wrong—perhaps to slight their Leader or due to internal issues—I do not know. In any case, many claims arise.

¶ 03 By end-2024, in my district of Hambantota alone, about 73,000 people lacked safe drinking water; over 3,500 lacked sanitation—official statistics. Those who presented 78 Budgets left such conditions, and now claim our work lacks vision. Our success this year is due to the foundation we laid in the first Budget under dire conditions, when the economic base had collapsed. Some asked whether our proposals were fairy tales—especially on vehicle imports—predicting doom. Today, even they accept the economy is moving forward.

¶ 04 This Budget is structured around six strategic goals. Yet some cry that it lacks a future plan. Our primary aim is to achieve sustained GDP growth over 7% within a few years, ensuring its benefits are fairly distributed across regions and communities, building a participatory economy. Next, export diversification for higher income: the 2025–2029 National Export Development Plan targets new markets, expanding existing ones, reviewing current trade agreements, and pursuing new FTAs.

¶ 05 Some in the Opposition seem upset that the President spoke for 4½ hours. Historically, some Finance Ministers took less than an hour (e.g., D.B. Wijetunga); others took longer (e.g., Ronnie de Mel), sometimes reading in parts with adjournments. No one then complained. The issue is not time, but content: objectives, debt sustainability management, plans. We invite constructive critique; we are ready to consider it.

¶ 06 (Continued...)