The Hon. Ruwan Mapalagama

¶ 01 Madam Chair, like my colleague Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe, I too am delighted—as are many who did and did not vote for us—by the President’s Budget.

¶ 02 Gampaha District suffers a severe drinking water crisis in several DS divisions. The Karasnagala Integrated Water Supply Project (covering Gampaha, Attanagalla, Minuwangoda) had stalled when the country defaulted. We inspected it with the District Coordinating Committee Chair, Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe, and Deputy Minister of National Integration Muneer Moulana, and directed resumption. This Budget allocates Rs. 20,000 million for water supply projects nationwide, including this—excellent news.

¶ 03 To ease port-related congestion due to container yard pressure in Colombo, a long-term solution is proposed: an inland container terminal at Veyangoda in Attanagalla, with Rs. 500 million allocated—creating jobs and income locally.

¶ 04 Tourism promotion gets Rs. 500 million. We are developing a new tourism zone centered on Gampaha. For years, no one brought even one foreign tourist to Attanagalla despite its historic significance. Within three months we organized community groups for agritourism in Alawala, and will soon attract tourists to sites in Attanagalla, Alawala, Pilikuththuwa, Warana, Maligathenna, Veyangoda, and prehistoric caves dated to 37,000 BCE.

¶ 05 This Budget makes the largest-ever allocations to raise living standards. Before the Budget, we already acted: from January, Rs. 6,000 for school stationery for every child. Pre-school meal allocation rises from Rs. 60 to Rs. 100 (Rs. 1,000 million). Pre-school teachers’ pay increases by Rs. 1,000 from June (Rs. 100 million allocated). Grade 5 scholarship stipend for low-income children doubles from Rs. 750 to Rs. 1,500. Nutrition allowance for students in sports schools doubles from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000. TVET stipend up from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 5,000; university bursary from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 6,500; Mahapola from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 7,500.

¶ 06 We are steering the country toward digital payments to reduce cash, curb illicit finance and tax evasion, and bring all into formal banking.

¶ 07 For the first time, the Budget addresses autism, neuro-disabilities, persons with special needs, and children in rehabilitation or remand. Also, Rs. 100 million is allocated to restore the Jaffna Public Library collections and provide IT facilities. For the first time in history, MPs have reduced their own privileges—eliminating vehicle permits and concessions—and stand with the people to pass this Budget. We will govern, deliver “A Prosperous Country – A Beautiful Life,” and then step aside having fulfilled our duty. Thank you.