The Hon. Chrishantha Abeysena - Minister of Science and Technology

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, first, let me say this: the Hon. Member who just spoke said the President delivered a very good Budget Speech. I say we will show results a hundred times beyond that speech—because this is our first Budget; we begin work after this.

¶ 02 He also mentioned the Easter attacks. The Easter attacks happened under the Yahapalana period. They had the responsibility then to act, yet now they talk as if it happened under our time. Under Yahapalana the intelligence services fell to the ground; that was that era. That’s how their arguments go.

¶ 03 By 2022 our economy had collapsed. Though this collapse occurred during Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s time, its roots go back years. Of the 76 years we discuss, the last 30–40 years speak the loudest. One Member reminded us of the 1980s economy. Under J. R. Jayewardene it rose somewhat, but it was not sustained and then went the other way. Since then, we had a stagnant economy. That “J. R.–Premadasa–Ranil era” was one of terror—state terror grew, democracy was eroded. From the 1980s, we drove ourselves towards bankruptcy.

¶ 04 In the recent past inflation rose above 70%. The real wages of public servants declined. Poverty rose to 25.9%. People were poor; the country was poor. We were all pushed to eat from soup kitchens.

¶ 05 Our professionals left the country. Why? No political leadership, no future, no confidence that their children could live and thrive here. Professionals were not recognized; their salaries were never enough relative to cost of living. Therefore, they left.

¶ 06 We have WHO data: in 2000 Sri Lanka’s health system ranked around 80—not great even then, 24 years ago—and has fallen further, to around 100. The legal system is similar—around rank 70. The economy stagnated; so did law and health; every sector lacked transparency and had collapsing governance. That is the history.

¶ 07 Parties have alternated: UNP/SJB and SLFP/SLPP. The people appointed them all. The same people gave us this mandate and now ask us many questions. We must answer.

¶ 08 Our main aim is to stabilize the economy; increase production in industry and agro-industry. For that we have a long-term plan. Especially to raise productivity and increase exports, we give special focus to using science and technology. Accordingly, Rs. 20.9 billion is allocated for science and technology in this Budget; of which Rs. 5 billion to our Ministry, with allocations also to other ministries.

¶ 09 Examples: Rs. 0.9 billion for health-related testing; Rs. 0.5 billion for spice cultivation; Rs. 0.5 billion for rubber; Rs. 0.7 billion for tea; Rs. 0.45 billion for coconut; Rs. 0.8 billion for fisheries; Rs. 0.2 billion for farming; Rs. 0.39 billion for bamboo cultivation; Rs. 0.1 billion for universities. Beyond these, a larger amount is for science and technology, because we believe S&T can significantly lift productivity.

¶ 10 The Leader of the Opposition said wages are unclear. Perhaps many things are unclear to him, including politics. They say we “adjusted” allowances; we did not. Past governments layered allowances, not base pay, creating disparities. Some, especially in legal and administrative services, may have secured special increments; others with stronger unions pushed increases; others got nothing. That is how discrepancies arose.

¶ 11 As a former professional, let me note: an MBBS takes 6 years (5 plus 1-year internship). In those five years, annual credit values total around 308, and in reality medical students barely sleep 5 hours a day; they work extremely hard. An MD takes 5–7 years, full-time; no private practice then; long ward hours. There are part-time master’s and PhDs, but medical specialist training is not like that.

¶ 12 On salaries, some claim the increases are “over three years.” From April this year, 2025, nine months accrue; then 2026 another nine months; then 2027 completes it. So it’s one year and nine months, not three years, to reach the full increment. We increased wages without raising any taxes in this Budget; we reduced taxes: PAYE was reduced; the rent tax on houses was removed. Only reliefs.

¶ 13 We raised the minimum basic salary in public service from Rs. 24,250 to Rs. 40,000—an increase of Rs. 15,750 at the lowest grade. We raised the value of the annual increment by 80%—for example, Rs. 250 becomes Rs. 450. Disaster loan limits rise from Rs. 250,000 to Rs. 400,000. There is debate about doctors and university academics. Some said we reduced pay; whose pay have we reduced? For example, as a Senior Professor, the basic salary would be Rs. 98,000 higher by January 2027 compared to now. Research allowance reduced from 35% to 20%, and academic allowance percentage adjusted as well—but these are to be calculated on the 2027 increased basic, not today’s. Therefore, no one’s take-home is reduced; the aggregated additions will be larger on the new base. A Senior Professor’s net monthly increase will be about Rs. 80,000–90,000 by 2027; PAYE reduction adds around Rs. 20,500 in disposable income.

¶ 14 Similarly, a Senior Lecturer Grade I will see about Rs. 55,000 in basic increase; gross up about Rs. 30,000; net around Rs. 49,000–50,000, with PAYE relief leaving around Rs. 16,000 extra. A Consultant doctor’s basic goes from Rs. 156,000 to about Rs. 214,000—about Rs. 54,000 more; plus PAYE relief; and since pension is based on basic, pensions will also improve. Nurses and paramedics gain around Rs. 45,000 per month by 2027; an MO about Rs. 90,000, phased as I explained.

¶ 15 On extra-duty payments for MOs and others: the hourly rate adjustments (e.g., from 1/80 to 1/120, 1/160 to 1/200) will be calculated on the 2027 structure; similarly, daily/holiday allowances adjusted from 1/20 to 1/30 are also on the 2027 base—so there is no reduction.

¶ 16 We have also provided broad social reliefs: 1,000 primary care units to improve village health; Rs. 250 million for a model care center for children with autism; chronic kidney patients’ monthly allowance raised from Rs. 7,500 to Rs. 10,000; elderly allowance from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000; Aswesuma has 1.2 million beneficiaries—not our policy as a permanent fixture, but we allocate Rs. 500 million to empower them out of dependence; Rs. 1,500 million for housing, including for the war-displaced in the North and East. The Jaffna Library, burnt by a past regime, will receive Rs. 100 million for essential facilities. Rs. 7,583 million for “Malaiyagam” Tamil community livelihood uplift; Rs. 500 million to expand child-care center capacity; Rs. 250 million for transport of abused children to courts; Rs. 5,000 monthly for orphans in detention homes; Rs. 100 million to build a comprehensive disability database; compensation up to Rs. 1 million for persons fully disabled due to disasters; senior citizens’ deposit interest rate increased by 3%; Rs. 100 million for vocational training of prisoners. These are rights-based allocations. This is a budget for social justice. I conclude here. Thank you.

¶ 17 It being 6.00 p.m., Business was interrupted, and the Debate stood adjourned. Debate to be resumed on Saturday, 22nd February, 2025.