The Hon. Dinesh Hemantha

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, at this time of presenting the country’s 80th Budget, I’m pleased to speak.

¶ 02 First, I will clarify two incorrect claims made by Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara. He said LKR 12,500 million is allocated to buy pickup trucks for all 225 MPs to distribute goods like bananas, rice and sugar. In fact, the LKR 12,500 million is to procure 2,700 vehicles to address acute shortages in local authorities and central government institutions—where equipment and vehicles are severely lacking. Of the 2,700, 1,175 are pickups. Ministers and Deputy Ministers already have vehicles through ministries; the Leader of the Opposition and Chief Opposition Whip also have vehicles. Pickups will be given only to MPs who do not currently have a pickup. Even after allocating to all 225 MPs, over 1,550 vehicles remain for state institutions. These will primarily go to public officials to improve service delivery, not to distribute consumer goods.

¶ 03 Second, he claimed LKR 500 million for public servants’ property loans would amount to only Rs. 400 per person when divided by the number of officers. That is a misreading. Banks provide the loans; the Government subsidizes interest. Up to Rs. 3 million, there is a 4% interest subsidy; from Rs. 3–5 million, a 2% subsidy. For example, if market interest is 12%, the Government bears 4% on the first Rs. 3 million and 2% on the remaining Rs. 2 million. The LKR 500 million is to fund this subsidy—not to be divided as principal among all officers.

¶ 04 Let me also address execution and targets. The Opposition says our 2026 proposals are mere aspirations. Look at 2025 performance. We targeted narrowing the budget deficit to LKR 2.2 trillion; updated estimates indicate we have reduced it to around LKR 1.4 trillion within the fiscal year. On revenue: 2019 estimate LKR 2.3tn, actual 1.8; 2020 est. 1.5, actual 1.3; 2021 est. 1.9, actual 1.4; 2022 est. 2.2, actual 2.0; 2023 est. 3.4, actual 3.8; 2024 est. 4.1, actual 4.0. For 2025 we estimated 4.9 and have already surpassed LKR 5.2 trillion. To those who said we could not run a tea kiosk or a corner shop, and that the Government would fall within months—we have exceeded revenue targets.

¶ 05 Further, 2025 is on track to set records: highest tourist arrivals, highest worker remittances, and record daily and annual Customs revenues—LKR 2,770 million in a single day in November, and over LKR 200 billion annually by Customs.

¶ 06 On plantation wages: every MP should speak on this. As a Matale District MP—a district with a large plantation population—I must note: in Ambanganga Korale PS area (Hapugaspitiya, Opalgala, Alukadawela—large estate communities), some Opposition representatives, elected with votes from these communities, have now complained to the Bribery Commission against the Rs. 200 top-up. If they believed a different lawful path was needed to increase wages, they should have proposed it then. We have increased it lawfully in a way that does not violate any statute. The Opposition must answer clearly today whether they support this Rs. 200 increase or not. This evening, when voting, those who came to Parliament with estate votes must show whether they stand with their people.

¶ 07 Finally, the Opposition misjudged a 3% voter base; it has multiplied many times over for the NPP Government. By our fifth year, this Government will have made this programme a lived reality.