The Hon. Kanchana Welipitiya

¶ 01 [4.02 p.m.]

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, I am pleased to speak on behalf of the Government in this Second Reading debate. This Budget lays the foundational platform for a renaissance in our country.

¶ 03 Various opinions are expressed—some say this is a Ranil Wickremesinghe Budget; others from the SLPP claim it continues Mahinda Rajapaksa’s policies. Anyone may offer views, but for us this is the NPP’s inaugural Budget that sets the direction for rebuilding the nation.

¶ 04 When we presented this Budget, our President had served only five months since the 21st of September 2024. The parliamentary election was on 14 November 2024, and this Parliament convened on 21 November 2024—so the government has had only three months. Therefore, while laying out our course for 2025, our own distinctive NPP program will be fully realized through implementation during these remaining ten months, and by 2026 we will present a Budget entirely aligned to our policies.

¶ 05 Despite constraints, we have presented a strong Budget by making sacrifices—by the President, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and MPs. The President’s expenses are Rs. 2.9 billion this year, reduced by Rs. 3.7 billion from the Rs. 6.6 billion allocated in 2024 under former President Wickremesinghe. Ministers’ fuel entitlements have been cut from 1,950 litres to 900 litres. MPs’ insurance coverage is reduced from Rs. 1 million to Rs. 250,000. The cost per meal to MPs rises to Rs. 2,000 reflecting actual costs. Many ministries previously rented private buildings; we will shift them into state-owned buildings to reduce expenditure.

¶ 06 The President’s three foreign visits: to India and China, only ticket costs were borne—no other Treasury expenditures; to a Middle Eastern country even the ticket was not charged—and savings were returned to the Treasury. This is how our leaders operate, unlike in the past when extravagant sums were spent on travel and even cashew purchases.

¶ 07 Despite challenges and a broken economy, the benefits to the people have not been cut. We have raised salaries for public servants and, for the first time in history, for private sector employees. We have programs to eradicate rural poverty; estate workers’ daily wage is proposed to be increased to Rs. 1,700. Pensions are increased; those who retired in the 1990s will have their pensions aligned to the 2020 salary scales, benefitting even those who received as little as Rs. 17,000.

¶ 08 The elderly allowance is increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000, and interest rates for senior citizens’ fixed deposits are raised. For poor students who pass scholarships and move to city schools but cannot afford costs, the allowance rises from Rs. 750 to Rs. 1,500. For school sports students, the monthly nutrition allowance rises from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000. For vocational trainees, the allowance increases from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 5,000, and university Mahapola and bursaries are increased.

¶ 09 This Budget is for all—North, South, East, and West—uniting everyone under the pride of being Sri Lankan. By year-end, we will have broadened the production economy and expanded enterprises. This Budget starts our journey toward a renaissance; with the next four Budgets, we will build the prosperous country we all desire. Thank you.